Breakdown of Die Tochter eines erfolgreichen Gründers übernimmt den Betrieb.
ein
a, an (eine)
die Tochter
the daughter
erfolgreich
successful / successfully
übernehmen
to take over
der Gründer
the founder
der Betrieb
the business
Questions & Answers about Die Tochter eines erfolgreichen Gründers übernimmt den Betrieb.
Why does erfolgreichen end in -en here?
It is modifying the masculine noun Gründer in the genitive case, following the indefinite article eines. Whenever an adjective comes after an indefinite, possessive, or negative article in the genitive case, it always takes the -en ending, regardless of the noun's gender.
Why is there an -s at the end of Gründers?
Gründer (founder) is a masculine noun. In the genitive case, masculine and neuter nouns usually add an -s or -es to the end to show possession. Because Gründer ends in -er, it only needs an -s.
I learned that über is a separable prefix. Why isn't it nimmt ... über at the end of the sentence?
Some prefixes, like über-, can be either separable or inseparable depending on the specific verb. The verb übernehmen (to take over) is inseparable. The prefix stays permanently attached to the verb, which is why it is conjugated as übernimmt.
Does the genitive phrase eines erfolgreichen Gründers always have to come directly after die Tochter?
In modern, everyday German, yes. A genitive phrase showing possession or a relationship almost always directly follows the noun it describes. While putting it before the noun was historically possible, today it sounds very old-fashioned or poetic.
Why is it den Betrieb instead of der Betrieb?
Betrieb (business) is a masculine noun. Because it is the direct object being taken over by the daughter, it is in the accusative case. The masculine article der changes to den in the accusative.
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