Breakdown of Ich werfe die Münze noch einmal ein, was nicht funktioniert.
ich
I
nicht
not
funktionieren
to work (function)
die Münze
the coin
noch einmal
again, once more
einwerfen
to insert (coin, letter)
was
which (referring to a whole clause)
Questions & Answers about Ich werfe die Münze noch einmal ein, was nicht funktioniert.
Why is the relative pronoun was used here instead of das?
In German, when a relative pronoun refers back to an entire idea or action in the previous clause (the act of inserting the coin again), you must use was. If it referred to a specific neuter noun, you would use das, but here it means "which" as in "a fact which".
Why is ein at the end of the first clause before the comma?
The verb for "to insert" is einwerfen, which is a separable verb. In a regular main clause like the first half of this sentence, the prefix ein separates from werfen and moves to the very end of its clause.
Could I say was nicht arbeitet instead of was nicht funktioniert?
No. While the English translation for both is "to work", arbeiten is used for people or animals doing labor. When you mean a machine, process, or action is operating correctly, you must use funktionieren.
Why does the verb funktioniert go to the very end of the sentence?
The word was introduces a relative clause, which is a type of dependent clause. In German dependent clauses, the conjugated verb (here, funktioniert) is always pushed to the very end of the clause.
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