Breakdown of Der Rabe benutzt das Werkzeug, um das Problem wesentlich schneller zu lösen.
schnell
fast, quickly
das Problem
the problem
lösen
to solve
das Werkzeug
the tool
um ... zu
in order to
benutzen
to use
der Rabe
the raven
wesentlich
significantly
Questions & Answers about Der Rabe benutzt das Werkzeug, um das Problem wesentlich schneller zu lösen.
How does wesentlich change the meaning of schneller in this sentence?
Wesentlich acts as an intensifying degree adverb here. When placed right before a comparative adjective like schneller (faster), it means 'significantly' or 'substantially'. It emphasizes that the difference in speed is large, translating to 'significantly faster'.
I thought wesentlich meant 'essential'. Why does it mean 'significantly' here?
You are right that as a standard adjective, wesentlich means 'essential' or 'fundamental' (for example, ein wesentlicher Punkt means 'an essential point'). However, when it is used as an adverb to intensify a comparative word like schneller, its meaning reliably shifts to 'significantly' or 'substantially'.
Could I just use viel instead of wesentlich here?
Yes, you could say viel schneller (much faster) and it would be perfectly grammatical. However, at a B2 level, upgrading to words like wesentlich, weitaus, or bedeutend makes your German sound more formal, precise, and sophisticated than using the basic viel.
Why are all the words sandwiched between um and zu lösen?
This is a classic um ... zu (in order to) infinitive clause. In German, um opens the clause, and the zu plus the infinitive verb (zu lösen) must go at the absolute end. All the extra details, including the direct object (das Problem) and the intensifying adverbs (wesentlich schneller), have to be placed between them.
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