Breakdown of Wer auch immer den Reiseführer hat, muss die nächste Etappe planen.
auch
also, too
haben
to have
immer
always
wer
who
planen
to plan
müssen
to have to, must
nächste
next
der Reiseführer
the travel guide
die Etappe
the stage (journey, process)
Questions & Answers about Wer auch immer den Reiseführer hat, muss die nächste Etappe planen.
Why does the main clause start with the verb muss right after the comma?
German relies on the verb-second rule for main clauses. Here, the entire first clause (Wer auch immer den Reiseführer hat) acts as a single block taking up position 1. To keep the verb in position 2 of the overall sentence, muss has to come immediately after the comma.
Does wer in wer auch immer change case depending on its role?
Yes! Here, wer is the subject of the verb hat, so it is in the nominative case. If it were the direct object (like in "Whomever I see..."), it would change to the accusative: Wen auch immer ich sehe.... The auch immer part stays exactly the same.
Do I have to use both auch and immer together to mean "whoever"?
Yes, in modern, everyday German you generally need both words to create this generalizing meaning. You might occasionally see just wer immer in older literature or formal contexts, but wer auch immer is the standard, natural-sounding phrase you should learn and use.
What exactly is an Etappe? Is it only used for physical travel?
An Etappe translates to a "stage" or "leg" of a journey, like on a road trip or a cycling race. However, just like in English, it is also commonly used figuratively to talk about the phases or stages of a long project, process, or even a person's life.
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