Breakdown of Der Stamm ist größer, je nachdem, wie alt der Baum ist.
sein
to be
groß
big / tall
der Baum
the tree
alt
old
wie
how
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
je nachdem
depending on
der Stamm
the trunk
Questions & Answers about Der Stamm ist größer, je nachdem, wie alt der Baum ist.
Why isn't anhand used here to mean 'based on' or 'depending on'?
The preposition anhand (on the basis of / by means of) requires a noun, usually in the Genitive case. For example, you could say anhand des Alters (based on the age). However, this sentence uses a full subordinate clause (wie alt der Baum ist) instead of just a noun. When 'depending on' is followed by a clause, you must use je nachdem instead of a preposition.
How exactly does je nachdem, wie work here?
The phrase je nachdem translates to 'depending on the circumstances' or simply 'depending on'. It is almost always followed by a subordinate clause introduced by a question word like wie (how), wann (when), was (what), or ob (whether). Here, it sets up the condition for the indirect question wie alt der Baum ist.
Why are there two commas around je nachdem?
The first comma separates the main clause (Der Stamm ist größer) from the adverbial phrase je nachdem. The second comma is required because wie alt der Baum ist is a subordinate clause. German strictly requires commas to separate clauses, and here je nachdem acts as a bridge between the two.
Is it normal to use the comparative größer without an als (than) comparison?
Yes! Just like in English, you can use a comparative adjective on its own if the point of comparison is obvious from the context. Here, the sentence implies the trunk is larger compared to when the tree was younger, so you don't need to explicitly state an als (than) clause.
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