Breakdown of Alles ist schief. Du hättest den Kamm nehmen sollen.
sein
to be
du
you (informal singular)
haben
to have
nehmen
to take
Questions & Answers about Alles ist schief. Du hättest den Kamm nehmen sollen.
Why do we use two infinitives (nehmen sollen) instead of a past participle like genommen?
This is the double infinitive rule. When a modal verb like sollen is used in the past to express a regret and is combined with a main verb (nehmen), the past participle is dropped. Instead, both verbs sit at the end of the sentence in their infinitive forms.
How exactly does this sentence express that I 'should have' done something?
To express a missed obligation or regret like 'should have', German uses the Konjunktiv II form of haben (here, hättest) as the helping verb, combined with the double infinitive (nehmen sollen) at the end of the sentence.
What happens to the word order if we put this into a subordinate clause?
Normally, the conjugated verb goes to the very end of a subordinate clause. But the double infinitive creates a special exception! The helping verb (hättest) must go right before the two infinitives. For example: Ich glaube, dass du den Kamm hättest nehmen sollen.
What does schief mean here?
schief means crooked, slanted, or uneven. Given the mention of a comb (der Kamm), this sentence is likely about a lopsided haircut! You will also frequently hear it in the common verb schiefgehen, which means to go wrong.