Breakdown of Ich hasse diese Arroganz, denn der Angeber wirkt hochnäsig, als wäre er ein Genie.
ich
I
sein
to be
ein
a, an (eine)
er
he
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
denn
because
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
der Angeber
the show-off
das Genie
the genius
hassen
to hate
als
as if (irreal comparison)
wirken
to appear (to seem)
hochnäsig
snooty
die Arroganz
the arrogance
Questions & Answers about Ich hasse diese Arroganz, denn der Angeber wirkt hochnäsig, als wäre er ein Genie.
Why is the verb wäre right after als instead of at the end of the sentence?
When making an unreal comparison meaning as if, you can use als ob or just als. If you use als ob, the verb goes to the end of the clause, like als ob er ein Genie wäre. If you drop the ob and use only als, the conjugated verb must move to the very front of that clause. That is why the verb wäre comes immediately after als.
Why do we use the Konjunktiv II form wäre here instead of the indicative ist?
The Konjunktiv II (wäre) is required because this is an irreal (unreal) comparison. The show-off is not actually a genius, but he acts like one. Using the Konjunktiv II signals to the listener that the statement is hypothetical and contrary to fact.
Why does the verb wirkt stay in the normal position after denn instead of moving to the end?
The word denn (because) is a coordinating conjunction, which means it occupies position zero in the clause. It simply links two main clauses without changing the word order. If the sentence had used weil instead, the verb would be kicked to the end of the clause.
What is the literal meaning of the adjective hochnäsig?
It literally translates to high-nosed, made up of hoch (high) and Nase (nose). It perfectly matches the English idiom of having one's nose in the air, meaning someone is stuck-up, snooty, or arrogant.
Could I use scheint instead of wirkt in this sentence?
Yes, scheint (seems) and wirkt (appears or comes across as) are often interchangeable in German. However, wirkt is especially fitting here because it focuses on the outward effect or impression a person is actively projecting, which makes perfect sense when talking about a show-off (Angeber).
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