Breakdown of Ist es wahr, dass der Riss im Kühlsystem aufwendig hat repariert werden müssen?
sein
to be
es
it
haben
to have
müssen
to have to, must
reparieren
to repair
im
in the (used with months) / in the (contraction of in + dem)
dass
that
wahr
true
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
werden
to be (passive auxiliary + past participle)
das Kühlsystem
the cooling system
der Riss
the crack
aufwendig
elaborate
Questions & Answers about Ist es wahr, dass der Riss im Kühlsystem aufwendig hat repariert werden müssen?
Why does the sentence use the infinitive müssen instead of the past participle gemusst for the Perfekt tense?
When a modal verb is used with another verb in the Perfekt tense, German uses the infinitive of the modal verb instead of its past participle. This is known as the 'double infinitive' rule (or Ersatzinfinitiv). Because this is a passive sentence, it actually creates a stack of three verbs: repariert werden müssen.
Why is hat placed before repariert werden müssen? Doesn't the conjugated verb usually go at the very end of a dass clause?
You are right that conjugated verbs usually go at the very end of a subordinate clause. However, there is a strict exception: when a subordinate clause uses the double infinitive rule, the conjugated auxiliary verb (hat) must jump in front of the entire infinitive cluster. Saying ... repariert werden müssen hat would be grammatically incorrect.
Can you break down the three-verb cluster repariert werden müssen?
Certainly! This cluster builds the passive voice with a modal verb in the Perfekt tense. repariert is the past participle of the main action (repaired). werden is the passive auxiliary in its infinitive form (to be). müssen is the modal verb, also in its infinitive form due to the double infinitive rule (have to). Together, they literally translate to 'to have to be repaired'.
What does aufwendig mean in this context?
aufwendig (which can also be spelled aufwändig) comes from the noun der Aufwand, meaning effort or expense. Used here as an adverb, it means the repair required a lot of time, money, or labor. The English translation 'extensively' captures the meaning well, though 'at great expense' or 'complexly' would also work.
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