Breakdown of Wir suchen ein langes Kabel, mit dem wir den Verstärker anschließen können.
ein
a, an (eine)
wir
we
suchen
to look for
können
can / to be able to
mit
with
lang
long
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
dem
whom / which (dative relative pronoun; forms: dem, der, denen)
anschließen
to connect
das Kabel
the cable
der Verstärker
the amplifier
Questions & Answers about Wir suchen ein langes Kabel, mit dem wir den Verstärker anschließen können.
Why is the relative pronoun dem instead of das in mit dem?
The relative pronoun refers back to the neuter noun das Kabel. Because it immediately follows the preposition mit, which always forces the dative case, the neuter pronoun das changes to dem.
The English translation puts "with" at the very end. Can we put mit at the end of the German sentence?
No, German does not allow you to leave prepositions stranded at the end of a clause. The preposition mit must stay right next to the relative pronoun dem that it belongs to, acting as a pair to introduce the relative clause.
Why does langes have an -es ending in ein langes Kabel?
Kabel is a neuter noun in the accusative case here, because it is the direct object of suchen. Since the word ein doesn't have a case ending itself, the adjective steps up to show the gender and case by taking the neuter accusative ending -es.
anschließen is a separable verb. Why isn't the an separated from schließen here?
First, it is used with the modal verb können, which requires the action verb to be in its full, unseparated dictionary form (infinitive). Second, because this is a relative clause, the conjugated verb (können) is pushed to the very end, meaning it simply sits right after the full infinitive anschließen.
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