Breakdown of Wir müssen das Gerede ignorieren, sonst fängt das Geweine wieder an.
wir
we
müssen
to have to, must
anfangen
to start
wieder
again
sonst
otherwise, or else
ignorieren
to ignore
das Gerede
the constant talking
das Geweine
the constant crying
Questions & Answers about Wir müssen das Gerede ignorieren, sonst fängt das Geweine wieder an.
How do Gerede and Geweine get their meaning of continuous or annoying action?
They are formed using the Ge-...-e pattern around the verb stems red- (from reden, to talk) and wein- (from weinen, to cry). This structure creates a neuter noun that specifically describes an action as continuous, repetitive, and usually irritating.
Why does the verb fängt come immediately after sonst?
The word sonst (otherwise) is an adverb, which means it takes up the first position in the second clause. Because German requires the conjugated verb to be in the second position, fängt comes next, pushing the subject das Geweine to the third position.
Why is an at the very end of the sentence?
It is the separable prefix of the verb anfangen (to begin or start). In a standard main clause, the conjugated part of the verb (fängt) takes the second position, while the prefix (an) gets kicked to the end of the clause.
Why is ignorieren placed at the end of the first clause?
The first clause is built around the modal verb müssen (must). When you use a modal verb, the conjugated modal takes the second position, and the main verb (ignorieren) is pushed to the end of the clause in its infinitive form.
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