Breakdown of Die Diplomaten der Nation sitzen an einem Tisch.
ein
a, an (eine)
der Tisch
the table
an
at, on (vertical) / to (addressee) / of (in quantity/stock expressions)
sitzen
to sit
die Nation
the nation
der Diplomat
the diplomat
Questions & Answers about Die Diplomaten der Nation sitzen an einem Tisch.
Is an einem Tisch sitzen a Noun-Verb Construction (Nomen-Verb-Verbindung), and does it mean more than just literally sitting at a table?
Yes! While it literally means "sitting at a table", in political or business contexts like this one, it acts as a fixed prepositional expression meaning "to hold talks" or "to negotiate". This is very similar to the Nomen-Verb-Verbindungen you are currently studying, where a basic verb and a noun combine to create a new, abstract meaning.
Why is the plural Diplomaten? Is the singular der Diplomate?
The singular is actually der Diplomat. It is a masculine "weak noun" (N-declension). These nouns add an -en or -n in every case except the nominative singular. Foreign words ending in -at (like der Automat, der Kandidat) usually follow this pattern.
Why do we use the dative einem Tisch after the preposition an?
The word an is a two-way preposition. Because the diplomats are already sitting there, it describes a static location and requires the dative case. If we were describing the action of them moving to sit down at the table (a change of location), we would use the accusative: Sie setzen sich an einen Tisch.
In the phrase der Nation, is this the dative or genitive case?
It is the feminine genitive case, meaning "of the nation". Because die Nation is feminine, the definite article changes to der in the genitive. In formal contexts like diplomacy, the genitive is strongly preferred over using the alternative von der Nation.
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