Breakdown of Die lauwarme Mahlzeit ist wirklich ungenießbar, zumal der Teller schmutzig ist!
sein
to be
der Teller
the plate
wirklich
really
schmutzig
dirty
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
die Mahlzeit
the meal
zumal
especially since
ungenießbar
inedible
lauwarm
lukewarm
Questions & Answers about Die lauwarme Mahlzeit ist wirklich ungenießbar, zumal der Teller schmutzig ist!
How does zumal affect the sentence structure here?
Because zumal is a subordinating conjunction, it sends the conjugated verb to the very end of its clause. Notice how the verb ist comes at the end of the second half: zumal der Teller schmutzig ist.
Could I use weil or da instead of zumal in this sentence?
You could, but you would lose a specific nuance. While weil and da simply mean because or since, zumal translates to especially since or particularly as. It adds extra emphasis, showing that the dirty plate is an additional, strong reason why the meal is ruined.
How does the ending -bar work in the word ungenießbar?
The suffix -bar is the German equivalent of the English -able or -ible. It attaches to the verb stem of genießen (to enjoy) to make genießbar (edible or enjoyable). Adding the prefix un- creates ungenießbar, meaning inedible.
Why does the adjective lauwarm get an -e ending here?
Mahlzeit is a feminine noun (die Mahlzeit). Since the definite article die already clearly shows the feminine nominative case, the adjective just needs the weak ending -e, giving us die lauwarme Mahlzeit.
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