Breakdown of Der Schmerz ist schlimm. Trotzdem geben sie nie auf.
sein
to be
sie
they
nie
never
schlimm
bad / awful (severe)
Questions & Answers about Der Schmerz ist schlimm. Trotzdem geben sie nie auf.
Why is the verb geben right after Trotzdem instead of after sie?
In German, the conjugated verb must take the second position in a main clause. Because the connecting adverb Trotzdem takes up the first position, the verb geben comes right after it, pushing the subject sie to the third position.
Why is auf at the very end of the sentence?
It belongs to the verb aufgeben (to give up). This is a separable verb. In a regular present tense sentence, the prefix auf separates from the main part of the verb (geben) and moves to the very end of the clause.
How do we know sie means 'they' here and not 'she'?
You can tell by the verb ending. If it meant 'she', the verb would be gibt (sie gibt nie auf). Because the verb is the plural geben, we know it means 'they'. It could also mean the formal 'you', but that would be capitalized as Sie.
Is schlimm the same as schlecht?
They are similar but used differently. The word schlecht is the general term for 'bad' (like poor quality or a bad idea). The word schlimm is used for things that are severe, serious, or cause suffering, which is why it is used here to describe der Schmerz (the pain).