Breakdown of Der Zug hält nur dreißig Sekunden.
der Zug
the train
halten
to stop
dreißig
thirty
nur
only
die Sekunde
the second (unit of time)
Questions & Answers about Der Zug hält nur dreißig Sekunden.
Wait, didn't we just learn that units of measurement don't get a plural ending? Why is it Sekunden here?
The zero-plural rule for quantities and measurements only applies to masculine and neuter nouns (like zwei Liter or drei Kilo). Because die Sekunde is feminine, it still takes its regular plural ending. This also applies to other feminine time units, like die Minute (Minuten) and die Stunde (Stunden).
Why is the verb hält used to mean "stops"? Doesn't halten mean "to hold"?
Yes, halten generally means "to hold," but it is also the standard verb for vehicles (like a train, bus, or car) making a stop. While you can sometimes use stoppen, halten is the natural choice for a scheduled transit stop.
The English translation says "for only thirty seconds." Where is the word for "for" in the German sentence?
It isn't needed! In German, you express a specific duration of time by simply putting the time phrase in the accusative case. So, dreißig Sekunden on its own perfectly expresses "for thirty seconds" without needing a preposition like für.
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