Breakdown of Der Eigentümer übt Kritik an der Sanierung, und dieser Einwand ist berechtigt.
sein
to be
und
and
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
Kritik üben an
to criticize (formal phrase)
der Eigentümer
the owner (legal)
der Einwand
the objection
die Sanierung
the refurbishment
berechtigt
justified
Questions & Answers about Der Eigentümer übt Kritik an der Sanierung, und dieser Einwand ist berechtigt.
The sentence uses Kritik üben to say the owner is criticizing. How would we flip the perspective to make the renovation the subject?
Why do we use the preposition an plus the dative case for 'criticism of the renovation' (Kritik an der Sanierung)?
In German, the noun die Kritik often takes the preposition an plus the dative case to indicate what or who is being criticized. When using the noun-verb construction Kritik üben, you must use an plus dative for the target of the criticism, just like you would say Er übt Kritik an mir (He is criticizing me).
The word Eigentümer is used here for 'owner.' Could we also use Besitzer?
They both translate to 'owner' in everyday English but have a strict legal difference in German! An Eigentümer is the legal owner who holds the title to the property. A Besitzer is simply the current possessor or occupant (like a tenant). Since it is about a structural renovation (Sanierung), it makes sense that the legal owner is the one raising the objection.
How does the noun Einwand connect to verbs we might already know?
Einwand (objection) comes from the separable verb einwenden (to object or argue against). If you want to use it as a verb, you could say: Er wendet ein, dass... (He objects that...). In this sentence, dieser Einwand neatly summarizes the criticism just mentioned without repeating the word Kritik.
Is berechtigt a past participle acting as an adjective here?
Yes! It comes from the verb berechtigen (to entitle or authorize). As an adjective, berechtigt means 'justified' or 'legitimate.' You will often see it paired with nouns like Kritik, Zweifel (doubt), or Sorge (concern) to express that a feeling or objection is valid.
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