Breakdown of Die Glasur ist mir zerlaufen, obwohl der Kuchen kalt war.
ich
I
sein
to be
kalt
cold
der Kuchen
the cake (simple, baked)
obwohl
although
die Glasur
the icing
zerlaufen
to melt (and run, spread)
Questions & Answers about Die Glasur ist mir zerlaufen, obwohl der Kuchen kalt war.
Why use mir instead of just saying meine Glasur?
Why do we use ist instead of hat with zerlaufen?
The verb zerlaufen (to melt or run) describes a change of state, specifically going from solid to liquid. Intransitive verbs (verbs that do not take a direct object) that express a change of state or a change of location always use sein to form the perfect tense.
What is the difference between zerlaufen and schmelzen?
While both mean to melt, zerlaufen specifically describes something losing its shape and spreading out or running. This makes it the most natural verb for icing, butter, or cheese. Schmelzen is a more general term, typically used for ice, snow, or metals.
Just to review, why does the verb war get pushed to the very end of the sentence?
The word obwohl (although) is a subordinating conjunction. It starts a dependent clause, and in German, dependent clauses always send their conjugated verb (in this case, war) to the very end.
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