Breakdown of Wo auch immer wir sind, falls die Unterkunft teuer ist, schlafen wir in der Hängematte.
sein
to be
auch
also, too
in
in
wir
we
teuer
expensive
immer
always
schlafen
to sleep
wo
where
falls
in case / if (conditional)
die Unterkunft
the accommodation
die Hängematte
the hammock
Questions & Answers about Wo auch immer wir sind, falls die Unterkunft teuer ist, schlafen wir in der Hängematte.
How does wo auch immer affect the word order here?
Phrases like wo auch immer (wherever), was auch immer (whatever), and wer auch immer (whoever) introduce subordinate clauses. This means they kick the conjugated verb (sind) to the very end of their clause.
Why does the main clause start with the verb schlafen?
In German, the conjugated verb of a main clause must be in the second position (the V2 rule). The preceding subordinate clauses (Wo auch immer wir sind and falls die Unterkunft teuer ist) count together as a single block of information filling the first position. To keep the verb in the second position, the main clause must immediately start with schlafen.
Could I use wenn instead of falls?
Yes, wenn would also work perfectly here. However, falls (in case / in the event that) removes any ambiguity. While wenn can mean "if", "when", or "whenever", falls strictly means "if", emphasizing the conditional nature of the situation.
Why is it in der Hängematte and not in die Hängematte?
The preposition in can take either the accusative or dative case. Since sleeping (schlafen) is a stationary state happening in a fixed location, and not a movement directed towards a new destination, it requires the dative case (der Hängematte).
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