Breakdown of Zum Frühstück gibt es nicht nur ein Buffet, sondern auch Obst.
ein
a, an (eine)
das Obst
the fruit
das Frühstück
the breakfast
zum
to the (zu + dem)
es gibt
there is / there are
nicht nur ..., sondern auch
not only ... but also
das Buffet
the buffet
Questions & Answers about Zum Frühstück gibt es nicht nur ein Buffet, sondern auch Obst.
How does the structure nicht nur ... sondern auch work in this sentence?
It connects two things being offered to emphasize that there is more than expected. Here, it links the two nouns ein Buffet and Obst. Because both items are the objects of the same verb phrase (gibt es), you only need to state the verb once at the beginning.
Is the comma before sondern auch mandatory?
Yes! In German, you must always put a comma before the conjunction sondern (but rather / but), even when it connects two single words like ein Buffet and Obst instead of two full sentences.
Why is the word order gibt es instead of es gibt?
Because the sentence starts with the phrase Zum Frühstück in the first position. In German main clauses, the conjugated verb must always take the second position. So, the verb gibt comes right after Frühstück, pushing the subject es into the third position.
What grammatical case are ein Buffet and Obst in?
They are both in the accusative case because they are the direct objects of the phrase es gibt (there is/are). Since both words are neuter nouns (das Buffet, das Obst), their accusative forms look exactly the same as their basic dictionary forms.
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