Breakdown of Wir kaufen das Haus, angenommen, dass der Lottogewinn hoch genug ist.
sein
to be
das Haus
the house
kaufen
to buy
wir
we
genug
enough
dass
that
hoch
high
angenommen
assuming (that)
der Lottogewinn
the lottery win
Questions & Answers about Wir kaufen das Haus, angenommen, dass der Lottogewinn hoch genug ist.
What exactly is the difference between using angenommen, dass here and just saying wenn?
While both express a condition, angenommen, dass translates to "assuming that" or "supposing that." It sets up a hypothetical scenario (winning the lottery) as the basis for the main clause. Wenn ("if") is more neutral, while angenommen makes the hypothetical thought experiment much stronger.
Can I drop the dass in this sentence?
Yes, you can! Just like with vorausgesetzt, you can drop dass. However, if you do, the verb in the conditional clause moves to the second position instead of staying at the end. The sentence would become: Wir kaufen das Haus, angenommen, der Lottogewinn ist hoch genug.
Could I use vorausgesetzt, dass in this exact sentence instead?
Yes, they function identically in terms of grammar, but there is a slight nuance in meaning. Angenommen means "assuming" (focusing on a hypothetical thought experiment), whereas vorausgesetzt means "provided" or "on the condition that" (focusing on a strict requirement). In the context of lottery winnings, both fit perfectly.
Why does the German sentence use the present tense Wir kaufen when the English translation says "We will buy"?
In German, the present tense is frequently used for future events, as long as the context makes it clear that the action hasn't happened yet. The conditional clause (angenommen...) clearly pushes the action into the future, making the formal future tense (Wir werden kaufen) unnecessary and a bit clunky.
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