Breakdown of Die Bündnisse der Vergangenheit sind nun gebrochen.
sein
to be
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
die Vergangenheit
the past
nun
now, well then
brechen
to break
das Bündnis
the alliance
Questions & Answers about Die Bündnisse der Vergangenheit sind nun gebrochen.
How does the plural ending work in Bündnisse, and why is the 's' doubled?
The singular noun is das Bündnis (the alliance). Nouns ending in the suffix -nis form their plural by adding -se, making the ending -nisse. The 's' is doubled to ensure the pronunciation of the short 'i' remains consistent. While -nis nouns can be neuter (das) or feminine (die), they all follow this exact plural pattern.
Why does the sentence use der Vergangenheit if the noun is feminine?
This phrase is in the genitive case, which indicates possession (meaning 'of the past'). All abstract nouns ending in -heit are feminine (die Vergangenheit). In the genitive case, the feminine definite article die changes to der.
Is sind nun gebrochen the present perfect tense here?
It looks like the present perfect, but it is actually a statal passive (Zustandspassiv). It describes the current state of the alliances ('are broken') rather than the action of breaking them. The verb brechen normally takes haben in the active present perfect when there is a direct object (e.g., Sie haben das Bündnis gebrochen). Because this sentence uses a form of sein (sind), it emphasizes the resulting condition.
Could I use jetzt instead of nun in this sentence?
Yes, jetzt and nun are largely interchangeable here. However, nun is a great choice for this sentence because it often implies a logical consequence or a transition into a new state ('as a result of recent events, the alliances are now broken'). jetzt is slightly more focused on the strict present point in time.
Learn Die Bündnisse der Vergangenheit sind nun gebrochen and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free