Breakdown of Er konnte dem Klatsch nicht widerstehen.
er
he
nicht
not
können
can / to be able to
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
der Klatsch
the gossip
widerstehen
to resist
Questions & Answers about Er konnte dem Klatsch nicht widerstehen.
How does the prefix wider- change the meaning of stehen in this sentence?
The prefix wider- means 'against' or 'in opposition to'. While stehen means 'to stand', combining them creates widerstehen, which literally translates to 'to stand against' and is used to mean 'to resist'.
Why is the gossip translated as dem Klatsch (dative) rather than den Klatsch (accusative)?
The verb widerstehen always requires a dative object. While in English you resist 'something' directly, the German logic is that you are standing in opposition 'to' something, which triggers the dative case for der Klatsch.
Is widerstehen separable or inseparable, and how do I pronounce it?
It is an inseparable verb. When the prefix wider- is used to mean 'against' in a figurative sense, it is inseparable. Because it is inseparable, you do not stress the prefix; the spoken emphasis falls on the verb stem (-stehen).
Why does nicht come right before widerstehen?
When negating an action in a sentence with a modal verb (like konnte), the nicht is placed as close to the end of the clause as possible, sitting directly in front of the main infinitive verb (widerstehen).
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