Log inSign up

Der Abschied war traurig, sodass wir letzten Endes geweint haben.

Der Abschied war traurig, sodass wir letzten Endes geweint haben.
The farewell was sad, so we ultimately cried.
From Lesson 440:Adverbial genitive for time and manner (eines Tages)·German

Questions & Answers about Der Abschied war traurig, sodass wir letzten Endes geweint haben.

Why is letzten Endes in the genitive case if it doesn't show possession?
This is an adverbial genitive. In German, certain fixed genitive phrases act like adverbs to describe time, manner, or logical conclusion. Letzten Endes literally translates to "of the last end," but is used idiomatically to mean "ultimately" or "when all is said and done."
Why does the adjective letzten end in -en instead of -es?
The noun Ende is neuter (das Ende), and its genitive form takes an -s (Endes). In German, when a masculine or neuter noun shows its genitive form with an -s, any preceding adjective without an article takes the -en ending instead of a strong -es ending. This avoids awkward double -s sounds.
Could I just use endlich instead of letzten Endes here?
Not quite. Endlich means "finally" in the sense of relief after a long wait, which doesn't fit the sadness of a farewell. Letzten Endes means "ultimately" or "eventually," showing the final result of the situation.
Does sodass always push the verb to the end of the sentence?
Yes, sodass (which can also be written as two words: so dass) is a subordinating conjunction. It introduces a dependent clause, which means the conjugated verb (haben) must go to the very end.

Learn Der Abschied war traurig, sodass wir letzten Endes geweint haben 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
Start learning German →