Breakdown of Die Figur ist hoffnungslos, aber diese Eigenschaft ist interessant.
sein
to be
aber
but
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
interessant
interesting
die Figur
the character (in a story)
die Eigenschaft
the trait
hoffnungslos
hopeless
Questions & Answers about Die Figur ist hoffnungslos, aber diese Eigenschaft ist interessant.
How is the word hoffnungslos formed?
It combines the noun die Hoffnung (hope) with the suffix -los (meaning 'without' or '-less'). Notice the extra s in the middle? That is a connecting sound, which is often added when a base word ending in -ung is joined with another word or suffix.
Does die Figur mean 'figure' like a number or a shape?
It can mean shape or physical figure, but in books, movies, or plays, die Figur is the standard word for a 'character'. If you want to talk about a person's inner moral character, you would instead use der Charakter.
How does the word Eigenschaft relate to its base word?
It comes from the adjective eigen, which means 'own' or 'peculiar to'. By adding the feminine suffix -schaft, it becomes a noun meaning a characteristic, quality, or trait that a person or thing 'owns'.
Why doesn't the word order change after aber?
The word aber (but) is a coordinating conjunction, meaning it occupies 'position zero' and does not count towards the word order. The subject diese Eigenschaft is in position one, and the verb ist sits exactly where it belongs in position two.
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