Breakdown of Der Umsatz im zweiten Quartal war so hoch, wie der Chef versprochen hat.
sein
to be
haben
to have
der Chef
the boss (male)
so
so, such (intensifier)
im
in the (used with months) / in the (contraction of in + dem)
zweite
second
versprechen
to promise
hoch
high
wie
as (in comparisons)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
das Quartal
the quarter (of a year)
der Umsatz
the revenue (turnover)
Questions & Answers about Der Umsatz im zweiten Quartal war so hoch, wie der Chef versprochen hat.
Why is there a comma before wie, and why is the verb at the very end?
The section starting with wie is a subordinate clause. When you use the comparative structure so [adjective] ..., wie and the wie part has its own conjugated verb, it forms a full subordinate clause. Because of this, it must be separated by a comma, and its conjugated verb (hat) is pushed to the very end.
Does the second part need an object pronoun, like 'wie der Chef es versprochen hat'?
You could definitely say ..., wie der Chef es versprochen hat (literally: 'as the boss has promised it'). However, German often drops this pronoun in comparative clauses when the thing being referred to is already perfectly clear from the main clause.
Could I use the Präteritum (simple past) and say 'versprach' instead of 'versprochen hat'?
Yes, absolutely. ... wie der Chef versprach is grammatically correct and means the exact same thing. The Perfekt tense (versprochen hat) is just more common in spoken German and everyday communication, while the Präteritum would sound slightly more formal or written.
Why do we use the dative case in 'im zweiten Quartal'?
The preposition in is a two-way preposition. When it's used to express a point in time (answering the question 'when?'), it always takes the dative case. Since Quartal is neuter (das Quartal), in + dem contracts to im, and the adjective zweiten gets the standard dative -en ending.
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