Breakdown of Es ist das Geheimnis, das wir aufdecken, obwohl er es bestreitet.
sein
to be
er
he
es
it
wir
we
das Geheimnis
the secret
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
obwohl
although
bestreiten
to deny (a claim or statement)
aufdecken
to uncover
Questions & Answers about Es ist das Geheimnis, das wir aufdecken, obwohl er es bestreitet.
Why use Es ist das Geheimnis, das wir aufdecken instead of simply Wir decken das Geheimnis auf?
This is a cleft sentence (Spaltsatz). By splitting the basic sentence and using Es ist to introduce das Geheimnis, you put strong emphasis on the secret itself. It signals to the listener that it is specifically the secret we are uncovering, and not something else.
Why are there two das words separated only by a comma in the middle of the sentence?
The first das is the neuter definite article belonging to Geheimnis. The second das is a relative pronoun connecting the clauses. It refers back to das Geheimnis and acts as the direct object of the relative clause, which is why it remains in the accusative case.
Since aufdecken is a separable verb, why aren't its parts separated here?
Because das wir aufdecken is a relative clause, the conjugated verb is pushed to the very end of its clause. When a separable verb is forced to the end of a subordinate clause like this, its prefix (auf) and the verb stem (decken) reconnect into a single word.
What exactly does the pronoun es refer to in the final clause obwohl er es bestreitet?
Here, es acts as a placeholder for the entire situation or fact just mentioned. He isn't denying a physical noun; rather, he is denying the whole fact that there is a secret or that it is being uncovered.
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