Breakdown of Die Besichtigung war gestern, wobei der Vermieter nicht da war.
sein
to be
nicht
not
gestern
yesterday
da
there
Questions & Answers about Die Besichtigung war gestern, wobei der Vermieter nicht da war.
Why is wobei translated as "recognizing that" instead of its literal meaning "whereby"?
At the B2 level, you will often see wobei used to introduce a restriction, limitation, or afterthought to the main statement. It functions like "although," "mind you," or "with the qualification that," rather than its literal, instrumental meaning of "by which means."
Why is the verb war at the very end of the sentence?
Because wobei functions as a subordinating conjunction in this context. Just like dass or obwohl, it introduces a dependent clause and forces the conjugated verb (war) to the end of that clause.
Could I just use obwohl (although) in this sentence instead?
Yes, grammatically obwohl works perfectly here. Using wobei, however, makes it sound more like a casual afterthought or an added piece of context ("mind you..."), whereas obwohl sets up a stronger, more direct contrast.
I know Vermieter means "landlord," but is Besichtigung a specific term for apartment hunting?
Yes! While die Besichtigung generally means a viewing, inspection, or tour (like of a museum or factory), when paired with a landlord (der Vermieter), it specifically refers to an apartment viewing (die Wohnungsbesichtigung).