Breakdown of Es geht um das Testament, und die Familie wird verrückt, weil er im Koma liegt.
er
he
es
it
und
and
die Familie
the family
liegen
to lie
werden
to become / to get (change of state)
verrückt
crazy
im
in the (used with months) / in the (contraction of in + dem)
weil
because (subordinating)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
es geht um
to be about
um
about (concerning)
das Testament
the will (legal document)
das Koma
the coma
Questions & Answers about Es geht um das Testament, und die Familie wird verrückt, weil er im Koma liegt.
Why do we use Es geht um here instead of translating "It is about" word-for-word?
Es geht um is a fixed German expression meaning "It is about" or "The matter concerns". The es is a mandatory impersonal subject, and the preposition um always requires the accusative case. That's why it is followed by das Testament.
Could I use Es handelt sich um instead of Es geht um in this sentence?
Yes! Es handelt sich um das Testament means exactly the same thing. Es handelt sich um is just slightly more formal than Es geht um, but both are highly common and both require the accusative case.
Why does the German sentence say the family wird crazy instead of using a word for "goes"?
In English, we use verbs like "go", "get", or "turn" for changes in state (like going crazy or getting tired). German consistently uses werden (to become) for these situations. Translating "goes" literally with geht wouldn't make sense here.
Why is the verb liegt at the very end of the sentence?
The word weil (because) starts a subordinate clause. In German, subordinating conjunctions push the conjugated verb to the very end of that clause. That's why liegt comes after im Koma.
Why is it im Koma rather than just in Koma?
im is a contraction of in dem. The phrase uses the dative case to show a fixed location or state (answering "where?"). Since Koma is a neuter noun (das Koma), the dative article is dem, combining with in to make im.
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