Breakdown of Der Redner sagt, dass der Präsident unsere Forderung hat genehmigen wollen.
haben
to have
sagen
to say
unser
our
wollen
to want
dass
that
der Präsident
the president
der Redner
the speaker (person)
die Forderung
the demand
genehmigen
to approve
Questions & Answers about Der Redner sagt, dass der Präsident unsere Forderung hat genehmigen wollen.
Why doesn't the conjugated verb hat go at the very end of the dass clause?
Normally, a subordinate clause starting with dass pushes the conjugated verb to the very end. However, this sentence uses a double infinitive (genehmigen wollen). In subordinate clauses with a double infinitive, the conjugated helper verb (hat) breaks the normal rule and jumps directly in front of the two infinitives instead of going to the very end.
Why does the sentence use the infinitive wollen instead of the past participle gewollt?
When a modal verb like wollen is used in the perfect tense alongside another verb (genehmigen), it drops its past participle form (gewollt) and uses its infinitive form instead. This creates the double infinitive.
Inside the double infinitive, how do I know whether to put genehmigen or wollen first?
The modal verb (wollen) always comes last in the double infinitive pair. The main action verb being modified (genehmigen, meaning to approve) is placed right before it.
What case is unsere Forderung here?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb genehmigen (the thing being approved). Forderung is a feminine noun, as are almost all German nouns ending in -ung, so the possessive article takes the feminine accusative ending, becoming unsere.
Learn Der Redner sagt, dass der Präsident unsere Forderung hat genehmigen wollen and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free