Breakdown of Die Aktivität im Ferienlager fällt aus, je nachdem, wie die Laune ist.
sein
to be
in
in
wie
how
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
das Ferienlager
the summer camp
je nachdem
depending on
die Aktivität
the activity
die Laune
the mood (of a person)
ausfallen
to be canceled
Questions & Answers about Die Aktivität im Ferienlager fällt aus, je nachdem, wie die Laune ist.
How does the grammar work after je nachdem in this sentence?
je nachdem (depending on) sets up a dependent clause. Here, it is followed by the indirect question word wie (how). Because it's a dependent clause, the conjugated verb ist goes to the very end of the sentence.
Why is aus placed right before the comma?
The verb here is the separable verb ausfallen (to be cancelled). In a normal main clause like Die Aktivität fällt aus, the prefix aus gets kicked to the end of that clause. The comma marks the end of the main clause before the je nachdem part begins, so aus sits right there.
Why does the English translation say "is cancelled" but the German sentence doesn't use the passive voice?
The verb ausfallen is an active verb in German that means "to not take place" or "to be dropped". While English often uses the passive voice ("is cancelled") for this idea, German simply uses the active present tense of ausfallen.
Why is it im Ferienlager and not just in Ferienlager?
im is a contraction of in dem. We use the dative case here because the activity is at a fixed location, answering a "where?" question. Since das Ferienlager (the holiday camp) is a neuter noun, in dem shrinks to im.
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