Breakdown of Wer respektlos ist, den werfe ich sofort hinaus.
ich
I
sein
to be
wer
who
sofort
immediately
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
respektlos
disrespectful
hinauswerfen
to throw out
Questions & Answers about Wer respektlos ist, den werfe ich sofort hinaus.
Why do we use den in the second part when the sentence starts with Wer?
This is the tricky part about wer clauses! Wer is in the nominative case because it is the subject of the first clause (the person who is disrespectful). But in the main clause, that person becomes the direct object of the verb hinauswerfen (to throw out). Because the role changes to accusative, we must use the pronoun den to show that I throw that specific person out.
Does Wer always mean whoever?
Usually wer means who in a question. But when it starts a statement like this (called a free relative clause), it translates to whoever or anyone who. It does not ask a question; instead, it sets up a general condition about an unknown person.
Why does the verb werfe come right after den, instead of saying den ich werfe?
German main clauses have a strict rule: the conjugated verb must be in the second position. The pronoun den takes up the first position to link back to the wer clause. Therefore, the verb werfe must immediately follow it. The subject ich then takes the third position.
What is hinaus doing at the very end of the sentence?
It is the prefix of the separable verb hinauswerfen (to throw out). When you use a separable verb in a regular main clause, the conjugated part (werfe) goes in the second position, and the prefix (hinaus) is kicked to the very end of the clause.
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