Aufgrund eines giftigen Lecks waren die Arbeiter geflohen.
Due to a toxic leak, the workers had fled.
Breakdown of Aufgrund eines giftigen Lecks waren die Arbeiter geflohen.
sein
to be
ein
a, an (eine)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
fliehen
to flee, to escape
Questions & Answers about Aufgrund eines giftigen Lecks waren die Arbeiter geflohen.
Why do we say eines giftigen Lecks after aufgrund?
The preposition aufgrund (due to) requires the genitive case. Since the noun is neuter (das Leck), the indefinite article becomes eines. The adjective gets the standard genitive -en ending (giftigen), and the neuter noun adds an -s at the end (Lecks).
Why is the verb waren used instead of hatten for 'had fled'?
The verb fliehen (to flee) describes a motion from one place to another. In German, verbs showing a change of location or state build their perfect tenses with the helper verb sein rather than haben. Because this sentence is in the past perfect tense, we use the simple past of sein, which is waren.
Why does the verb waren come before the subject die Arbeiter?
This is due to the German verb-second rule. The entire phrase Aufgrund eines giftigen Lecks occupies the first position in the sentence. The conjugated verb (waren) must take the second position, which pushes the subject (die Arbeiter) to the third position.
Could I use wegen instead of aufgrund in this sentence?