Breakdown of Die Eltern müssen sich einigen, weil sie gemeinsam leben.
sie
they
die Eltern
the parents
müssen
to have to, must
weil
because (subordinating)
leben
to live/reside (in a place)
sich einigen
to agree
gemeinsam
together (jointly, mutually)
Questions & Answers about Die Eltern müssen sich einigen, weil sie gemeinsam leben.
Why do we need the word sich before einigen?
In German, the verb for "to reach an agreement" or "to agree with each other" is the reflexive verb sich einigen. Because the subject is the plural Die Eltern (The parents), we use the third-person plural reflexive pronoun sich.
Why is leben at the very end of the sentence?
The word weil (because) is a subordinating conjunction. Just like the word solange (as long as) that you are learning in this lesson, weil introduces a dependent clause and kicks the conjugated verb (leben) to the very end of that clause.
Could I use zustimmen instead of sich einigen to say "agree"?
Not in this context. The verb zustimmen means to agree with someone or something, such as agreeing with an opinion. sich einigen, on the other hand, means to come to a mutual agreement or compromise together. Since both parents need to find common ground, sich einigen is the perfect verb here.
Could I use zusammen instead of gemeinsam here?
Yes, absolutely! zusammen leben and gemeinsam leben both mean "to live together" and are interchangeable in this sentence. gemeinsam just sounds slightly more formal and emphasizes the shared partnership of living together.
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