Breakdown of Zwar statten wir sie mit einem Sender aus, aber die Zugvögel fliegen den ganzen Tag.
ein
a, an (eine)
aber
but
wir
we
sie
they
fliegen
to fly
mit
with
ganz
quite, completely; whole
der Tag
the day
zwar
admittedly
der Zugvogel
the migratory bird
ausstatten
to equip
der Sender
the transmitter
Questions & Answers about Zwar statten wir sie mit einem Sender aus, aber die Zugvögel fliegen den ganzen Tag.
Why is it den ganzen Tag in the accusative case, even though it is not the direct object of the verb?
This is an example of the adverbial accusative. In German, definite durations of time, such as 'all day' or 'every month', are put directly into the accusative case without needing a preposition. Since Tag is masculine, it takes the masculine accusative articles and endings, becoming den ganzen Tag.
How does the zwar ..., aber ... construction affect the word order here?
Zwar and aber work together to mean 'admittedly [X], but [Y]'. In the first clause, zwar occupies the first position, so the verb statten must come second. In the second clause, aber is a coordinating conjunction (often called a 'position 0' word). It doesn't take up a structural slot in the clause, so the subject die Zugvögel takes position 1, followed normally by the verb fliegen in position 2.
I see statten and aus separated. What is the full verb here, and what case does mit trigger?
The full verb is ausstatten, which means 'to equip' or 'to provide'. Because it is a separable verb, the prefix aus is sent to the end of its clause. The verb pairs with the preposition mit, which always forces the dative case. That is why the masculine noun Sender (transmitter) becomes einem Sender.
Isn't it strange that the pronoun sie comes before the noun it refers to (die Zugvögel)?
It can feel a bit backwards to English speakers, but this is a common stylistic choice in German. Using the pronoun in the first half creates a tight link between the clauses and builds a tiny bit of suspense, revealing exactly who 'they' are (die Zugvögel) in the second half of the sentence.
Learn Zwar statten wir sie mit einem Sender aus, aber die Zugvögel fliegen den ganzen Tag 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