Breakdown of Wir mussten den Makler bezahlen, wobei die Kaution auch sehr hoch war.
sein
to be
auch
also, too
sehr
very
wir
we
bezahlen
to pay
müssen
to have to, must
hoch
high
wobei
whereby (recognizing that)
der Makler
the real estate agent (m)
die Kaution
the security deposit
Questions & Answers about Wir mussten den Makler bezahlen, wobei die Kaution auch sehr hoch war.
Why is wobei translated as "recognizing that" here instead of "whereby"?
At a B2 level, you will frequently see wobei used to add a qualifying statement, a restriction, or a secondary thought to a main clause. It functions similarly to "mind you," "although," or "recognizing that" in English. In this sentence, it tags on a related, complicating circumstance (the high deposit) to the main event (paying the agent).
Does wobei always change the word order?
Yes. In this context, wobei acts as a subordinating conjunction. It introduces a subordinate clause, which forces the conjugated verb (war) to the very end of the sentence.
Could I use a word like obwohl (although) instead of wobei?
You could, and it would also send the verb to the end, but the nuance is slightly different. Obwohl sets up a stronger, more direct contradiction (we paid the agent in spite of the fact that the deposit was high). Wobei is softer; it simply adds a restricting or compounding detail, like saying "and at the same time, we must note that..."
Can wobei be used to describe a physical location?
No. Despite containing the word wo (where), wobei is strictly used for circumstances, processes, or abstract connections. If you wanted to talk about a physical location, like the office where you paid the agent, you would just use wo or a relative pronoun with a preposition, like in dem.
What do Makler and Kaution refer to in the German housing market?
These are essential vocabulary words if you ever rent an apartment in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Der Makler is the real estate agent or broker, and die Kaution is the security deposit. This sentence captures a classic complaint about the compounding costs of moving!
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