Breakdown of Ich behalte das Wissen, indem ich es oft erkläre.
ich
I
es
it
oft
often
erklären
to explain
das Wissen
the knowledge
indem
by doing
behalten
to retain
Questions & Answers about Ich behalte das Wissen, indem ich es oft erkläre.
How does indem work in this sentence?
The word indem translates to 'by [doing something]'. It is a subordinating conjunction used to explain the method or means of an action. Because it creates a subordinate clause, it pushes the conjugated verb (erkläre) to the very end of the sentence.
Why use behalte instead of just halte for 'keep' or 'retain'?
While halten generally means 'to hold' (physically) or 'to stop', adding the prefix be- creates behalten, which means 'to keep' or 'to retain' something in your possession or memory. In this case, keeping the knowledge in your mind requires behalten.
What exactly does the pronoun es refer to here?
The pronoun es means 'it' and directly replaces das Wissen (the knowledge). Since Wissen is a neuter noun, we must use the neuter pronoun es to refer back to it in the second half of the sentence.
Could I say 'durch Erklären' instead of using indem?
Yes, you can use the preposition durch (through/by) with a capitalized noun form of the verb, like durch häufiges Erklären. However, using indem is highly common and often easier because it lets you use a standard subject and verb (ich erkläre) instead of building a complex noun phrase.
Learn Ich behalte das Wissen, indem ich es oft erkläre and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free