Word
Das Tierheim vermittelt den Hund nur, sofern Sie ihn artgerecht pflegen.
Meaning
The animal shelter only places the dog, provided that you care for him in a species-appropriate way.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Das Tierheim vermittelt den Hund nur, sofern Sie ihn artgerecht pflegen.
der Hund
the dog
Sie
you (formal)
ihn
him
nur
only
Questions & Answers about Das Tierheim vermittelt den Hund nur, sofern Sie ihn artgerecht pflegen.
How is sofern different from wenn in this sentence?
While you could technically use wenn (if) here, sofern is more specific and slightly more formal. It translates strictly to "provided that" or "as long as," emphasizing that placing the dog is entirely dependent on this one non-negotiable condition.
I learned that vermitteln means "to mediate" or "to convey". Why is it translated as "places" here?
You are right about its core meaning! However, in the context of agencies, real estate, or a Tierheim (animal shelter), vermitteln specifically means to arrange a match or place someone/something into a new situation—in this case, successfully rehoming the dog.
How is the adjective artgerecht formed?
It is a very common compound word in German animal welfare, made from die Art (the species or kind) and gerecht (fair, right, or appropriate). Together, it means treating or keeping an animal in a way that is natural and suitable for its specific species.
Why is the verb pflegen at the very end of the sentence?
Because sofern is a subordinating conjunction. Just like dass, ob, or weil, it introduces a subordinate clause and kicks the conjugated verb (pflegen) to the very end of that clause.