Breakdown of Sobald aufgetaut, ist der Fisch gar nicht mehr frisch.
sein
to be
der Fisch
the fish
gar nicht
not at all
mehr
more
frisch
fresh
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
sobald
as soon as
auftauen
to thaw
Questions & Answers about Sobald aufgetaut, ist der Fisch gar nicht mehr frisch.
What exactly was left out in the phrase Sobald aufgetaut?
This is an elliptical subordinate clause. The full version would be Sobald er aufgetaut ist. In German, you can drop the subject and the auxiliary verb (like ist or hat) after certain conjunctions (like sobald, wenn, or obwohl) as long as the subject is identical to the one in the main clause (here, der Fisch).
If Sobald aufgetaut isn't a full clause, why does the main clause still start with the verb ist?
Even though the subordinate clause is shortened to just two words, it still counts as the first block of information (Position 1) in the overall sentence. To follow the strict verb-second rule, the main clause must immediately follow it with the verb ist.
How does the combination gar nicht mehr work?
It perfectly combines two common negations: gar nicht (not at all) and nicht mehr (not anymore or no longer). Together, they mean "not at all anymore," placing a strong emphasis on the fact that the fish has completely lost its previous freshness.
Does aufgetaut imply that someone thawed the fish, or that it thawed on its own?
It can actually mean both! The verb auftauen can be transitive (meaning a person thaws something) or intransitive (meaning the thing thaws by itself). In this shortened clause, it functions similarly to a state passive, simply describing the condition of the fish once the process is complete.
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