Question 1

Why does the sentence use pfeift here if the English translation is "calls"?

Accepted Answer

In German sports terminology, a referee does not "call" a foul, they "whistle" it (pfeifen). The literal translation is "The referee whistles the foul," which is the standard German way to express making a call on the field.

Question 2

How would we expand this sentence to say he called the foul "in favor of" the home team?

Accepted Answer

You can use the genitive preposition zugunsten (in favor of / to the benefit of) from this lesson. The sentence would become: Der Schiedsrichter pfeift das Foul absichtlich zugunsten der Heimmannschaft.

Question 3

If we wanted to say the call was "to the disadvantage of the player," how would we use zuungunsten?

Accepted Answer

You would use zuungunsten followed by the masculine genitive form of the player: ... absichtlich zuungunsten des Spielers. Interestingly, both zugunsten and zuungunsten can also be placed after the noun they modify (des Spielers zuungunsten), though placing them before the noun is much more common.

Question 4

What is the literal meaning of Schiedsrichter?

Accepted Answer

It is a compound noun made of Schied (an old root related to entscheiden, meaning to decide or arbitrate) and Richter (judge). Therefore, a referee is literally a "decision judge."

Question 5

Why is the adverb absichtlich placed at the very end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

In standard German word order, an accusative direct object that is a known, specific thing (das Foul) generally precedes adverbs of manner (absichtlich). You could place absichtlich before das Foul to heavily emphasize the intention, but the current order is the most natural.

Der Schiedsrichter pfeift das Foul absichtlich.

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