Breakdown of Wie du weißt, brauchst du die Signatur, wenn du den Ordner einordnest.
du
you (informal singular)
brauchen
to need
wie
how
wissen
to know (a fact)
wenn
if / when (conditional, not a question word)
der Ordner
the folder
einordnen
to file
die Signatur
the shelfmark
Questions & Answers about Wie du weißt, brauchst du die Signatur, wenn du den Ordner einordnest.
How does wie work in this sentence, and why isn't it translated as "how"?
While wie often means "how" in questions, here it acts as a subordinating conjunction meaning "as". We use it to refer to shared knowledge or something previously stated, like in Wie du weißt (As you know) or Wie ich gesagt habe (As I said). Because it is a subordinating conjunction, it sends the conjugated verb weißt to the end of its clause.
Why does the main part of the sentence start with the verb brauchst instead of du?
In German, the main conjugated verb must be in the second "position" of the sentence. The entire opening clause (Wie du weißt) counts as position one. To keep the verb in position two, brauchst has to come immediately after the comma, swapping places with the subject du.
einordnen is a separable verb. Why aren't the parts separated at the end of the sentence?
You are right that einordnen is separable (normally du ordnest ein in a main clause). However, the word wenn creates a subordinate clause, which forces the conjugated verb to the very end of the sentence. When a separable verb is pushed to the end like this, the prefix and the verb stay attached as a single word: einordnest.
Is Signatur a false friend? Why doesn't it mean a signature on a document?
Yes, it is a false friend! A personal signature on a document or contract is an Unterschrift. A Signatur refers to a classification number, shelfmark, or reference code used to organize items. This makes sense in context, since you are filing a folder (Ordner).
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