Breakdown of Es handelt sich um eine dramatische Rache, nachdem er das Testament geändert hat.
ein
a, an (eine)
er
he
es
it
haben
to have
ändern
to change (modify, alter)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
nachdem
after
sich handeln um
to be about
das Testament
the will (legal document)
dramatisch
dramatic
die Rache
the revenge
Questions & Answers about Es handelt sich um eine dramatische Rache, nachdem er das Testament geändert hat.
Why do we use sich in Es handelt sich um?
Es handelt sich um is a fixed expression that translates to "it is about" or "it is a matter of." Even though it doesn't sound reflexive in English, in German it always requires the reflexive pronoun sich and the impersonal subject es.
Does the preposition um determine the case of eine dramatische Rache?
Yes! The preposition um always triggers the accusative case. Because Rache (revenge) is a feminine noun, the accusative form eine dramatische Rache looks exactly the same as it would in the nominative case.
Why is the conjugated verb hat all the way at the end of the sentence?
The word nachdem (after) is a subordinating conjunction. In German, subordinating conjunctions introduce a dependent clause and "kick" the conjugated verb—in this case, the helping verb hat—to the very end of that clause.
Why does the second clause use the past tense (geändert hat) while the first uses the present tense (handelt)?
The conjunction nachdem (after) establishes a strict timeline: one event happened entirely before the other. Because the main clause is in the present tense (handelt), the completed action in the nachdem clause needs to be one step further back in time. We use the Perfekt tense (geändert hat) to show he changed the will before the revenge takes place.
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