Breakdown of Aufgrund der weltweiten Krise hat die Fabrik gar nicht gearbeitet.
arbeiten
to work
haben
to have
gar nicht
not at all
die Fabrik
the factory
die Krise
the crisis
aufgrund
due to
weltweit
worldwide
Questions & Answers about Aufgrund der weltweiten Krise hat die Fabrik gar nicht gearbeitet.
How does aufgrund der weltweiten Krise replace a normal weil clause here?
It transforms the reason into a noun phrase, a process called nominalization. Instead of using a full clause like weil es eine weltweite Krise gab (because there was a worldwide crisis), we use the preposition aufgrund (due to) followed by the genitive noun phrase der weltweiten Krise. This makes the sentence more concise and formal.
Can I use wegen instead of aufgrund in this sentence?
Yes, wegen der weltweiten Krise means exactly the same thing. Both prepositions take the genitive case in standard written German. Aufgrund tends to sound slightly more formal and is very common in news, business, or official contexts like this one.
Why does the adjective weltweit end in -en here?
Because the preposition aufgrund forces the phrase into the genitive case. For the feminine noun Krise, the definite article becomes der. After a definite article in the genitive case, the adjective takes the weak ending -en, resulting in weltweiten.
Why is the verb hat placed right after Krise?
The entire prepositional phrase Aufgrund der weltweiten Krise acts as a single block occupying position 1 in the sentence. Because German main clauses strictly require the conjugated verb in position 2, hat must come immediately after it, pushing the subject die Fabrik into position 3.
What does the word gar add to the sentence?
Gar acts as an intensifier for the negative word nicht. While nicht gearbeitet just means the factory did not work, adding gar creates the fixed phrase gar nicht, which translates to "not at all" or "absolutely not."
Learn Aufgrund der weltweiten Krise hat die Fabrik gar nicht gearbeitet and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free