Breakdown of Wir wollen die Flexibilität, dabei gehen wir nie raus in die Natur!
in
in
wir
we
gehen
to go
wollen
to want
nie
never
die Natur
the nature
raus
out
dabei
yet / although (concessive)
die Flexibilität
the flexibility
Questions & Answers about Wir wollen die Flexibilität, dabei gehen wir nie raus in die Natur!
Wait, doesn't dabei usually mean "with it" or "at the same time"? How does it mean "yet" here?
At the B2 level, you will often see dabei used as a connector of concession. It introduces a statement that contrasts with or contradicts the first clause, similar to "yet," "and still," or "despite that." Here, wanting the flexibility of being outdoors completely contradicts the fact that they never actually go out into nature.
Why does the verb gehen come immediately after dabei?
dabei functions here as an adverbial connector linking two independent clauses. Because it occupies the first position in the second clause, the verb (gehen) must take its strict second position, which pushes the subject (wir) to the third position.
Why is there a die before Flexibilität, when in English we just say "flexibility"?
In German, abstract nouns like concepts, feelings, or general ideas (such as Flexibilität, Liebe, or Freiheit) often require a definite article, even when English leaves it out entirely.
Why do we use the accusative in die Natur instead of the dative in der Natur?
The preposition in is a two-way preposition. Because the verb gehen describes a movement toward a destination (going out into nature), you must use the accusative case. If the sentence described an action happening statically within nature, you would use the dative (in der Natur).
What exactly does raus add to this sentence? Could I just leave it out?
You could grammatically just say gehen wir nie in die Natur, but adding raus (a colloquial shortening of heraus or hinaus) emphasizes the physical outward movement from inside a house or city to the outdoors. It makes the sentence sound much more natural and dynamic to a native speaker.
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