Wir versuchen, auf den Präsidenten Druck auszuüben.
We are trying to exert pressure on the president.
Breakdown of Wir versuchen, auf den Präsidenten Druck auszuüben.
wir
we
versuchen
to try
zu
to (infinitive marker)
der Präsident
the president
Druck ausüben auf
to exert pressure on
Questions & Answers about Wir versuchen, auf den Präsidenten Druck auszuüben.
What is the noun-verb construction here, and which preposition does it require?
The core phrase is Druck ausüben (to exert pressure). When you specify who the pressure is directed at, you must use the preposition auf followed by the accusative case (auf den Präsidenten). This is a fixed combination you just have to memorize.
Why is auf den Präsidenten placed before Druck?
In a noun-verb construction, the noun (Druck) and the verb (ausüben) form a tight logical unit. Because of this, the noun usually gets pushed to the very end of the clause, right next to the verb. Therefore, the prepositional object (auf den Präsidenten) naturally comes before it.
Why is the word auszuüben written as a single word with zu in the middle?
The verb ausüben (to exert) is a separable verb (aus + üben). Because the first clause (Wir versuchen) requires an infinitive clause with zu, the zu gets wedged between the separable prefix and the main verb, merging into one word: auszuüben.
Why does Präsident have an -en ending here if it refers to just one president?
Präsident is a weak masculine noun (part of the n-declension group). These nouns take an -(e)n ending in every grammatical case except the nominative singular. Since the preposition auf forces it into the accusative case here, it becomes den Präsidenten.
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