Breakdown of Die Diplomaten nehmen Bezug auf den Vertrag.
der Vertrag
the contract
der Diplomat
the diplomat
Bezug nehmen auf
to refer to
Questions & Answers about Die Diplomaten nehmen Bezug auf den Vertrag.
How does Bezug nehmen auf differ from the verb sich beziehen auf?
They mean the exact same thing: to refer to. Bezug nehmen auf is a noun-verb construction, which is frequently used in business, politics, or formal writing to sound more official. As a B2 learner, you will see and hear these support constructions often in formal news reports.
Why doesn't the noun Bezug have an article like einen in front of it?
In many fixed noun-verb combinations, the core noun loses its article. The noun Bezug combines so tightly with the verb nehmen that it acts almost like a single verb unit, so no article is needed.
Why do we use the accusative den Vertrag after the preposition auf?
The preposition auf is a two-way preposition, meaning it can take the dative or accusative. However, when used in abstract or fixed phrases like Bezug nehmen auf or sich beziehen auf, it almost always triggers the accusative case. Since Vertrag is masculine, it becomes den Vertrag.
Is Diplomaten definitely plural in this sentence?
Yes, you can tell it is plural because of the plural verb nehmen and the plural article Die. However, der Diplomat belongs to the masculine n-declension group (weak nouns). This means it takes an -en ending in every case except the nominative singular. In another sentence, den Diplomaten could easily be a singular accusative object!
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