Breakdown of Wir statten den Zugvogel aus und messen jeden Tag die Entfernung.
und
and
wir
we
jeder
everyone / each
der Tag
the day
messen
to measure
der Zugvogel
the migratory bird
ausstatten
to equip
die Entfernung
the distance (between two points)
Questions & Answers about Wir statten den Zugvogel aus und messen jeden Tag die Entfernung.
Why is it jeden Tag in the accusative case here instead of using a preposition?
This is an adverbial accusative. In German, definite time expressions (like every day, next year, or this morning) that answer the question 'when?' or 'how often?' are put directly into the accusative case without needing a preposition. Since der Tag is masculine, it takes the accusative ending to become jeden Tag.
Where does the aus come from in the first part of the sentence?
The verb in the first clause is the separable verb ausstatten (to equip or to fit out). In a present tense main clause, the separable prefix aus moves to the very end of its clause, which in this case is right before the conjunction und.
Why does the second clause start directly with the verb messen?
The coordinating conjunction und connects two main clauses. Because the subject Wir is exactly the same for both actions, it is dropped in the second clause to avoid repetition. The underlying structure is und (wir) messen jeden Tag die Entfernung.
Could I change the word order to und messen die Entfernung jeden Tag?
While that isn't strictly grammatically wrong, the original sentence sounds much more natural. German sentences generally follow a guideline where time elements (like jeden Tag) are placed before direct noun objects (like die Entfernung).
What makes up the compound noun Zugvogel?
It is made of der Zug and der Vogel (the bird). While you probably know der Zug as the train, it also refers to a movement, procession, or migration (from the verb ziehen, to pull or move). Therefore, a Zugvogel is a migratory bird.
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