Breakdown of Wir brauchen einen Assistenten, dessen Kompetenz so hoch ist, wie unser Standard es verlangt.
sein
to be
ein
a, an (eine)
es
it
wir
we
brauchen
to need
unser
our
so
so, such (intensifier)
hoch
high
wie
as (in comparisons)
der Assistent
the assistant
dessen
whose (m/n)
verlangen
to demand
der Standard
the standard
die Kompetenz
the competence
Questions & Answers about Wir brauchen einen Assistenten, dessen Kompetenz so hoch ist, wie unser Standard es verlangt.
Why is there a comma before wie in this sentence, when we usually see so hoch wie written together?
In this sentence, wie introduces a full subordinate clause. Because it contains its own subject (unser Standard) and pushes the conjugated verb (verlangt) to the very end, it must be set off by a comma. If you were just comparing two nouns or adjectives without adding a new verb (like so hoch wie ein Berg - 'as high as a mountain'), you wouldn't use a comma.
Why do we use dessen instead of deren, considering Kompetenz is a feminine noun?
dessen is the genitive relative pronoun meaning 'whose'. Its form depends only on the gender and number of the noun it refers back to, not the noun that comes immediately after it. Since it refers back to einen Assistenten (masculine singular), we use dessen. If we were referring back to a feminine noun, like eine Assistentin, we would use deren.
Is Assistenten plural here? Why does it have an -en ending?
It is singular here ('an assistant'). Assistent belongs to a group of masculine nouns known as 'weak nouns' (the n-declension). These nouns—often ending in -ent, -ant, or -ist—take an -en or -n ending in every case except the nominative. Because the assistant is the direct object (accusative) of the verb brauchen, it takes the -en ending: einen Assistenten.
What is the purpose of es in wie unser Standard es verlangt? We don't usually say 'as our standard demands it' in English.
In German, the verb verlangen (to demand or require) strongly prefers having a direct object. The es acts as a grammatical placeholder referring back to the entire previous idea (the high level of competence). While English can leave 'demands' hanging without an object, German uses es to make the subordinate clause grammatically complete.
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