Breakdown of Das Verfahren ist aufwendig, deshalb hat die Eisfläche mit der Eismaschine geglättet werden müssen.
sein
to be
haben
to have
müssen
to have to, must
mit
with
deshalb
therefore / that is why
werden
to be (passive auxiliary + past participle)
das Verfahren
the procedure
die Eisfläche
the ice surface
aufwendig
elaborate
die Eismaschine
the ice machine
glätten
to smooth
Questions & Answers about Das Verfahren ist aufwendig, deshalb hat die Eisfläche mit der Eismaschine geglättet werden müssen.
Why are there three verbs clumped together at the end of the sentence (geglättet werden müssen)?
This is the passive voice with a modal verb, formed in the Perfekt (present perfect) tense. Because the action was done to the ice, we need the passive infinitive (geglättet werden). Because it had to be done, we add the modal verb (müssen). The verb cluster at the end of the clause always follows this exact order: the past participle of the main verb (geglättet), the passive marker (werden), and finally the modal verb (müssen).
Why does the sentence use the infinitive müssen instead of its past participle gemusst?
This is due to the double infinitive rule. When a modal verb is used in the Perfekt tense alongside another verb, German drops the modal's past participle (gemusst) and replaces it with the infinitive (müssen).
Why is the conjugated verb hat placed immediately after deshalb?
Deshalb (therefore) is an adverb that takes up position 1 in the second clause. Because German main clauses require the conjugated verb to sit in position 2, hat must come right after it, pushing the subject (die Eisfläche) to position 3.
Does aufwendig mean expensive here?
It can, but not necessarily. Aufwendig comes from der Aufwand (effort or expense). While it can mean financially costly, in the context of a procedure (das Verfahren) it usually means elaborate, complex, or time-consuming.
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