Breakdown of Die Blase am Fuß blutet, nichtsdestotrotz trägt sie die Spitzenschuhe.
sie
she
tragen
to carry, to wear
am
on the / at the
der Fuß
the foot
bluten
to bleed
nichtsdestotrotz
nevertheless
der Spitzenschuh
the pointe shoe
die Blase
the blister
Questions & Answers about Die Blase am Fuß blutet, nichtsdestotrotz trägt sie die Spitzenschuhe.
Why is the word order trägt sie instead of sie trägt after the comma?
Nichtsdestotrotz is an adverb, not a coordinating conjunction like und or aber. Because it occupies the first position in the second clause, the conjugated verb (trägt) must immediately follow it in the second position to satisfy the standard V2 (verb-second) rule, pushing the subject (sie) to the third position.
Is nichtsdestotrotz used in everyday spoken German, or is it mostly for writing?
It is used in both, but it carries a slightly elevated or emphatic tone, much like "nonetheless" in English. In casual everyday speech, Germans often prefer the simpler synonyms trotzdem or dennoch.
Where does the long word nichtsdestotrotz actually come from?
It is a fusion of three words: nichts (nothing), desto (all the), and trotz (despite). It originally started as a humorous student mashup of nichtsdestoweniger (nevertheless / nothing the less) and trotzdem (despite that), but it became a completely standard dictionary word over time.
Why does the sentence use am Fuß instead of auf dem Fuß for "on the foot"?
Am is the contraction of an dem. The preposition an is used for contact with a boundary or side surface, which perfectly fits a blister on the heel or side of a foot. Auf is usually reserved for things resting flat on top of a horizontal surface.
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