Breakdown of Während der Koch die Soße zubereitet, probiert er sie.
er
he
sie
she
probieren
to try / to taste (to sample)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
Questions & Answers about Während der Koch die Soße zubereitet, probiert er sie.
Why is the verb zubereitet at the very end of the first part of the sentence?
The word während (while) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause and forces the conjugated verb (zubereitet) to the very end of that clause.
Isn't zubereiten a separable verb? Why aren't the parts separated here?
Yes, zubereiten (to prepare) is a separable verb. In a normal main clause, it would split (like Der Koch bereitet die Soße zu). However, because während pushes the verb to the end of the clause, the prefix and the verb are forced back together as a single word: zubereitet.
Why does the second half of the sentence say probiert er instead of er probiert?
This is due to the verb-second rule. The entire first clause (Während der Koch die Soße zubereitet) counts as the first block of information in the sentence. To keep the main verb in the second position overall, probiert must come immediately after the comma, before the subject (er).
Why does the sentence use sie at the end if the cook is tasting the sauce?
In German, pronouns must match the grammatical gender of the noun they replace. Since the sauce is die Soße (feminine), it must be replaced by the feminine pronoun sie. Even though we translate this as the word it in English, German grammar treats the sauce as a she!