Question 1

Why does hat come before genehmigen wollen? Shouldn't the conjugated verb go at the very end in a weil clause?

Accepted Answer

Normally, yes! In a subordinate clause (like one starting with weil), the conjugated verb goes to the end. However, this sentence uses a double infinitive (genehmigen wollen). When you have a double infinitive in a subordinate clause, the conjugated auxiliary verb (haben) breaks the rule and jumps in front of the two infinitives instead of going to the very end.

Question 2

Why is the infinitive wollen used here instead of the past participle gewollt?

Accepted Answer

This is due to the double infinitive rule. In the perfect tense, when a modal verb (like wollen) is used together with another verb (genehmigen), the modal verb stays in its infinitive form instead of turning into its past participle (gewollt).

Question 3

Why is nicht placed right before hat?

Accepted Answer

In German, nicht goes just before the specific idea it negates. Here, it negates the entire verbal action of 'wanting to approve' (hat genehmigen wollen), so it sits immediately before that entire verb cluster.

Question 4

Is die Forderung in the accusative case here?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is the direct object (the thing being approved), so it is in the accusative case. Nouns ending in -ung are always feminine, and the feminine article die looks exactly the same in both the nominative and accusative cases.

Die Masse ist wütend, weil die Polizei die Forderung nicht hat genehmigen wollen.

Breakdown of Die Masse ist wütend, weil die Polizei die Forderung nicht hat genehmigen wollen.

Questions & Answers about Die Masse ist wütend, weil die Polizei die Forderung nicht hat genehmigen wollen.

Learn Die Masse ist wütend, weil die Polizei die Forderung nicht hat genehmigen wollen and more in German