Breakdown of Aufgrund des giftigen Gases hatten die Arbeiter das Bergwerk verlassen.
haben
to have
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
verlassen
to leave
aufgrund
due to
das Gas
the gas (state of matter, natural gas)
das Bergwerk
the mine
der Arbeiter
the worker
giftig
toxic
Questions & Answers about Aufgrund des giftigen Gases hatten die Arbeiter das Bergwerk verlassen.
Why is it des giftigen Gases after aufgrund instead of just das giftige Gas?
The preposition aufgrund means due to and strictly requires the genitive case. Because Gas is a neuter noun, the definite article changes to des, the adjective takes the weak -en ending, and the noun itself gets an extra ending.
Why does the noun Gases have an -es at the end instead of just an -s?
Masculine and neuter nouns take an ending in the genitive case. While many just take an -s, nouns that are a single syllable or end in an s-sound like Gas require -es so they are easier to pronounce.
Why is the verb hatten right in the middle of the sentence instead of after the subject?
Remember the strict verb-second rule in German main clauses. The entire phrase Aufgrund des giftigen Gases takes up the first position. To keep the conjugated verb in position two, hatten must come right before the subject die Arbeiter.
What tense is hatten ... verlassen?
This is the Past Perfect tense, known as the Plusquamperfekt. It is formed using the simple past of the helper verb (hatten) and the past participle (verlassen). It is used to describe an action that was already completed before another past event took place.
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