Breakdown of Das Brett ist zu dünn für die Ladung und bricht durch.
sein
to be
und
and
zu
too (e.g., too big)
für
for
dünn
thin
das Brett
the board
durchbrechen
to break in two / to break through
die Ladung
the cargo (load)
Questions & Answers about Das Brett ist zu dünn für die Ladung und bricht durch.
Why is the verb durchbrechen separated as bricht durch in this sentence?
The prefix durch- is variable, meaning the verb can be separable or inseparable depending on its meaning. When durchbrechen means to snap or to break in two like it does here, it is a separable verb. In a main clause, the conjugated verb (bricht) takes the second position, and the prefix (durch) goes to the very end.
What does durchbrechen mean when it is used as an inseparable verb?
When inseparable, it usually means to break through an obstacle. For example, a car breaking through a fence or a jet breaking the sound barrier (die Schallmauer durchbricht). The inseparable form often focuses on penetrating a boundary rather than destroying the object itself.
How does the separable prefix change the pronunciation of the verb?
For all verbs with variable prefixes, the spoken stress tells you if it is separable or not. Since it is separable in this sentence, the stress is on the prefix: DURCH-brechen. If it were the inseparable version, the stress would move to the verb stem: durch-BRE-chen.
Why isn't the subject repeated after und in the second half of the sentence?
The conjunction und connects two main clauses. Because the subject of both actions is exactly the same (Das Brett), you can drop it in the second clause to sound more natural. If you wanted to include it, the clause would be ...und es bricht durch.
Learn Das Brett ist zu dünn für die Ladung und bricht durch and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free