Breakdown of Wenn man dieses Dilemma beurteilt, kann man die Tat nicht rechtfertigen.
nicht
not
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
können
can / to be able to
man
one / you (impersonal)
wenn
if / when (conditional, not a question word)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
die Tat
the deed, the act
das Dilemma
the dilemma
beurteilen
to judge
rechtfertigen
to justify
Questions & Answers about Wenn man dieses Dilemma beurteilt, kann man die Tat nicht rechtfertigen.
If I added a sentence right after this one comparing "the former" (the dilemma) and "the latter" (the action), how would I decline those terms?
Because das Dilemma is neuter and die Tat is feminine, you must use the corresponding strong adjective endings for them. For example, to say "The former is complicated, the latter is unforgivable" as the subject of the next sentence, you would say: "Ersteres ist kompliziert, letztere ist unverzeihlich."
Why is the verb kann placed right after the comma?
The entire Wenn clause acts as the first block of information (position 1) in the overall sentence structure. Because the main verb must always be in position 2, kann comes immediately after the comma, pushing the subject man to position 3.
What is the difference between beurteilen and verurteilen?
Beurteilen means to assess, evaluate, or look at something analytically, which fits perfectly when analyzing a dilemma. Verurteilen means to condemn, judge harshly, or legally sentence someone. If you used verurteilt here, it would mean you are morally condemning the dilemma itself, rather than analyzing it.
I've seen the word Tatort on German TV. Is Tat the same word?
Exactly. Die Tat means the deed, act, or action, and it is derived from the verb tun (to do). A Tatort is literally the "place of the deed," which translates to crime scene. In this sentence, die Tat simply refers to the action being judged.
Learn Wenn man dieses Dilemma beurteilt, kann man die Tat nicht rechtfertigen and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free