Word
Das erwartete Unwetter tobt draußen.
Meaning
The expected severe storm is raging outside.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Das erwartete Unwetter tobt draußen.
draußen
outside
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
erwarten
to expect
das Unwetter
the severe storm
Questions & Answers about Das erwartete Unwetter tobt draußen.
Why does the past participle erwartet have an -e ending here?
Here, the past participle erwartet (expected) is acting as an adjective describing Unwetter. Because it comes after the definite article Das and modifies a neuter noun in the nominative case, it takes the weak adjective ending -e, becoming erwartete.
Does the prefix Un- in Unwetter mean 'not weather'?
Not quite. While the prefix Un- often negates a word (like unbekannt for unknown), with nouns it can also designate something as 'bad' or 'monstrous.' So Unwetter doesn't mean 'no weather,' but rather 'bad, extreme weather.' You see this same usage in words like Unkraut (weed, literally 'bad plant') or Unmensch (monster or brute).
What is the difference between Unwetter, Sturm, and Gewitter?
Sturm specifically means a strong gale or windstorm, while Gewitter refers to a thunderstorm with lightning and thunder. Unwetter is a broader, stronger term for any extreme, destructive weather event, which could include torrential rain, hail, or hurricane-force winds.
The verb toben translates to 'is raging' here. Can it be used for things other than weather?
Yes, toben is very versatile. Besides roaring storms or seas, it can describe people raging with anger or throwing a tantrum. It is also commonly used in a positive, energetic way to describe children romping, running around, and playing wildly.