Breakdown of Wir umfahren den Stau und stellen die Ladung unter.
und
and
wir
we
der Stau
the traffic jam
umfahren
to bypass / to run over
Questions & Answers about Wir umfahren den Stau und stellen die Ladung unter.
Why doesn't umfahren split into fahren ... um here?
The prefix um- is variable. When it is inseparable, umfahren means to bypass or drive around an obstacle. If you separated it (Wir fahren den Stau um), the meaning changes completely to running over or knocking down the traffic jam! A good trick: if you are avoiding the object, it is usually inseparable.
Why is unter at the very end of the sentence?
It is the separable prefix of the verb unterstellen (to shelter or put something under cover). Just like um-, unter- is a variable prefix. In its physical, literal sense of placing something under a shelter, it is separable. So the conjugated verb stellen takes the standard second position in its clause, and unter is kicked to the end.
How do I know which syllable to stress when pronouncing umfahren and unterstellen?
The rule for pronunciation ties directly to whether the verb is separable. For separable verbs like unterstellen (to shelter), the stress is on the prefix: un-ter-stel-len. For inseparable verbs like umfahren (to bypass), the stress is on the root verb: um-fah-ren.
Is den Stau in the accusative case because of the verb umfahren?