Breakdown of Das kleine Restaurant am Hafen ist sehr empfehlenswert und bleibt unser Geheimtipp.
sein
to be
und
and
klein
small
sehr
very
Questions & Answers about Das kleine Restaurant am Hafen ist sehr empfehlenswert und bleibt unser Geheimtipp.
How is the adjective empfehlenswert formed, and what is the -s- doing in the middle?
It is built from the verb infinitive empfehlen (to recommend) and the suffix -wert (worth). The -s- is a linking sound (called a Fugenelement) that simply connects the two parts to make pronunciation smoother. Together, it translates to 'worth recommending'.
Since both suffixes mean 'worth', could I use -würdig instead and say empfehlungswürdig?
Not naturally, no. While both suffixes indicate something is worthy, -wert is attached to verbs to express practical value or that a casual action is worth doing (like trying a restaurant). The suffix -würdig generally attaches to nouns and carries a heavier moral, formal, or character-based weight (like vertrauenswürdig for trustworthy).
Why is it unser Geheimtipp instead of the accusative unseren Geheimtipp after the verb?
The verb bleiben (to remain) is a linking verb (copula verb), just like sein (to be) and werden (to become). It does not take a direct object. Instead, it connects the subject to a continuing identity or state. Because the subject (das kleine Restaurant) is in the nominative case, unser Geheimtipp must also take the nominative case.
What exactly does the compound noun Geheimtipp imply in this context?