Breakdown of Sie haben das Kindergeld beantragt.
haben
to have
sie
they
beantragen
to apply for
das Kindergeld
the child benefit
Questions & Answers about Sie haben das Kindergeld beantragt.
Why is there an "er" in the middle of Kindergeld?
Kindergeld is a compound noun made of Kind (child) and Geld (money). The -er- is a linking element (Fugenlaut). For nouns that form their plural with -er (like das Kind becoming die Kinder), this -er is very often used as the glue to connect it to the next word in a compound.
Why is beantragen used here instead of sich bewerben for "applied"?
The verb beantragen is used specifically when you are formally requesting or applying for something administrative, like a grant, a visa, or a financial benefit (Kindergeld). In contrast, sich bewerben is used when competing for a position, such as applying for a job or a spot at a university.
Why doesn't the past participle beantragt have a "ge-" prefix?
The verb beantragen starts with the inseparable prefix be-. Verbs with inseparable prefixes (like be-, ent-, er-, ver-) never take the ge- prefix in their past participle form. It simply takes the regular -t ending for weak verbs, making it beantragt.
Is it possible to say "Sie haben beantragt das Kindergeld" instead?
No, German strictly uses the sentence bracket for the perfect tense in main clauses. The conjugated helping verb (haben) takes the second position, and the past participle (beantragt) must be pushed to the very end of the sentence.
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