Breakdown of Der Boss ist am Angreifen, wohingegen ich am Fliehen bin!
ich
I
sein
to be
am
on the / at the
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
fliehen
to flee, to escape
wohingegen
whereas
angreifen
to attack
der Boss
the boss
Questions & Answers about Der Boss ist am Angreifen, wohingegen ich am Fliehen bin!
Why are Angreifen and Fliehen capitalized in this sentence?
This sentence uses the colloquial am-Progressiv to show an ongoing action. It is formed using sein + am (which is a contraction of an dem) + a nominalized infinitive (a verb turned into a noun). Because Angreifen and Fliehen act as nouns here following dem, they must be capitalized.
Why is bin at the very end of the second clause?
The word wohingegen (whereas) is a subordinating conjunction, which means it kicks the conjugated verb to the end of the clause. In the am-Progressiv, the conjugated verb is the helper verb sein (here, bin), so it gets pushed to the end, placing it after am Fliehen.
Is it acceptable to use the am-Progressiv structure like this in formal writing?
Generally, no. While it is very common in everyday spoken German to emphasize that an action is currently happening, it is considered colloquial. In formal writing or exams, you would use the standard present tense (Der Boss greift an, wohingegen ich fliehe) and add an adverb like gerade (currently/just) to express the ongoing nature.
Could I use während instead of wohingegen here?
Yes, absolutely. Both are subordinating conjunctions and require the verb at the end. während translates to "while" or "whereas" and is much more common in everyday speech. wohingegen is a slightly higher-register word that puts a stronger, more explicit focus on the direct contrast or opposition between the two actions.
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