Breakdown of Abgesehen von diesem Monat ist der Umsatz so stark, wie er im letzten Jahr war.
sein
to be
er
he
das Jahr
the year
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
der Monat
the month
so
so, such (intensifier)
stark
strong
im
in the (used with months) / in the (contraction of in + dem)
wie
as (in comparisons)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
letzt
last, final
abgesehen von
apart from
der Umsatz
the revenue (turnover)
Questions & Answers about Abgesehen von diesem Monat ist der Umsatz so stark, wie er im letzten Jahr war.
Why is the verb war at the very end of the sentence?
The phrase wie er im letzten Jahr war is a comparative subordinate clause. In German, when wie is used to mean 'as' in a comparison like so stark, wie (as strong as), it acts as a subordinating conjunction. This means it kicks the conjugated verb (war) to the very end of its clause.
Why does the verb ist come right after Monat?
This is because of the V2 (verb-second) rule in German main clauses. The entire introductory phrase Abgesehen von diesem Monat takes up the first position. To keep the verb in the required second position, ist must come next, which pushes the subject der Umsatz into the third position.
Why is it diesem Monat instead of diesen Monat?
The phrase abgesehen von (apart from) requires the dative case because of the preposition von. Since Monat is masculine (der Monat), the demonstrative word dieser changes its ending to -em in the dative case, becoming diesem.
Why is the pronoun er used to mean 'it' here?
In German, pronouns must match the grammatical gender of the noun they replace. Since er refers back to der Umsatz (the revenue), which is a masculine noun, you have to use the masculine pronoun er.
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