Breakdown of Abgesehen von der Hitze arbeiten wir hier, selbst wenn der Vulkan brennt.
hier
here
arbeiten
to work
wir
we
brennen
to burn
die Hitze
the heat
der Vulkan
the volcano
abgesehen von
apart from
selbst wenn
even if
Questions & Answers about Abgesehen von der Hitze arbeiten wir hier, selbst wenn der Vulkan brennt.
Why is the verb brennt at the very end of the sentence?
Because selbst wenn is a subordinating conjunction. Just like dass or weil, it forces the conjugated verb (brennt) to the very end of its clause.
What is the exact difference between wenn and selbst wenn in this context?
While wenn simply means 'if' or 'whenever', adding selbst creates an extreme concessive condition, meaning 'even if'. It emphasizes that an extreme situation (a burning volcano) will not stop the action in the main clause (working).
Why does the main clause say arbeiten wir instead of wir arbeiten?
The introductory phrase Abgesehen von der Hitze occupies the entire first position of the sentence. Because German requires the conjugated verb to be in the second position, the verb arbeiten must come next, inverting the subject wir to the third position.
Why is it der Hitze if the noun is feminine (die Hitze)?
The phrase abgesehen von (apart from) includes the preposition von, which always takes the dative case. In the dative case, the feminine article die changes to der.
Learn Abgesehen von der Hitze arbeiten wir hier, selbst wenn der Vulkan brennt 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