Breakdown of Die Ähnlichkeit mit dem Original ist rechtlich ein Problem.
sein
to be
ein
a, an (eine)
das Problem
the problem
mit
with
das Original
the original
die Ähnlichkeit
the similarity
rechtlich
legally
Questions & Answers about Die Ähnlichkeit mit dem Original ist rechtlich ein Problem.
Why do we say Ähnlichkeit mit instead of using zu to mean "similarity to"?
In German, the noun die Ähnlichkeit (similarity) is paired with the preposition mit (+ Dative). While English speakers naturally want to say "similarity to", German expresses it as sharing traits with something.
Why doesn't rechtlich have an adjective ending like rechtliches?
Because it's functioning as an adverb modifying the whole sentence ("legally"), rather than as an adjective modifying the noun Problem. If you wanted to say "a legal problem", it would go inside the noun phrase and take a neuter ending: ein rechtliches Problem.
Could rechtlich be placed at the very beginning of the sentence?
Yes! You can say Rechtlich ist die Ähnlichkeit mit dem Original ein Problem. Moving it to the first position emphasizes that you are talking specifically about the legal perspective. Just remember that the verb ist must remain in the second position.
Why is Original capitalized here? Is it not an adjective?
In English, "original" can be an adjective or a noun, and the same is true in German. Here, it is the neuter noun das Original (the original), so it must be capitalized. It takes the dative form dem because it follows the dative preposition mit.
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