Breakdown of Niemand verdächtigt die Mannschaft der Bestechung.
die Mannschaft
the team
niemand
no one
verdächtigen
to suspect (someone of wrongdoing)
die Bestechung
the bribery
Questions & Answers about Niemand verdächtigt die Mannschaft der Bestechung.
Why is it der Bestechung (genitive) instead of using a preposition like von for 'of bribery'?
The verb verdächtigen (to suspect) belongs to a group of verbs that strictly require a genitive object. Instead of using a preposition like 'of' in English, German uses the accusative case for the person or group suspected (die Mannschaft) and the genitive case for the crime or action (der Bestechung).
Why is the article der used here if Bestechung is a feminine noun?
Nouns ending in -ung are always feminine (die Bestechung). However, in the genitive case, the feminine definite article die changes to der. Because verdächtigen forces the genitive case here, we must use der.
Since the genitive case is often avoided in spoken German, do native speakers use a preposition here instead?
For showing possession, Germans do often replace the genitive with von + dative in casual speech. However, for verbs that inherently demand a genitive object like verdächtigen, the genitive is typically kept, especially in writing, news, or formal contexts. You might hear people informally use wegen (because of), but the pure genitive is the standard and correct form.
What is the difference between verdächtigen and vermuten, which can both translate to 'suspect'?
Verdächtigen specifically means to suspect someone of a crime or bad deed, and it directly targets a person or entity. Vermuten means to assume or to guess in a general sense, like suspecting that it might rain (Ich vermute, dass es regnet).
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