Breakdown of Der Verdächtige enthält sich eines Kommentars.
ein
a, an (eine)
der Verdächtige
the suspect
der Kommentar
the comment
sich enthalten
to abstain from
Questions & Answers about Der Verdächtige enthält sich eines Kommentars.
Why is eines Kommentars in the genitive case instead of using a preposition like "from"?
The verb sich enthalten (to refrain or abstain) belongs to a specific group of German verbs that strictly govern the genitive case. Instead of using a preposition like English does with "from," German directly uses the genitive object eines Kommentars to express what is being refrained from.
Wait, doesn't enthalten mean "to contain"?
It does! The non-reflexive verb etwas enthalten (with an accusative object) means "to contain something." However, when you make it reflexive and add a genitive object, as in sich einer Sache enthalten, the meaning changes entirely to "to abstain from" or "to refrain from."
Why does Der Verdächtige end in -e?
Verdächtige is a nominalized adjective, which is an adjective acting as a noun. Even as a noun, it still takes standard adjective endings. Following the masculine definite article der in the nominative case, it takes the weak ending -e. If the sentence used an indefinite article, it would be ein Verdächtiger.
Why is there an -s at the end of Kommentars?
Because the verb forces the noun phrase into the genitive case, strong masculine and neuter nouns must add an -s or -es ending. Kommentar is a masculine noun, so its genitive form becomes eines Kommentars.
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