Breakdown of Der Aufsichtsrat genehmigt die Übernahme, was sehr wichtig ist.
sein
to be
sehr
very
wichtig
important
was
which (referring to a whole clause)
genehmigen
to approve
die Übernahme
the takeover
der Aufsichtsrat
the supervisory board
Questions & Answers about Der Aufsichtsrat genehmigt die Übernahme, was sehr wichtig ist.
Why do we use was here instead of a standard relative pronoun like die or das?
In German, when a relative pronoun refers back to an entire preceding clause or idea rather than a specific noun, you use was. Here, was refers to the whole fact that the board approved the takeover. If it only referred to the takeover itself, you would use die to match die Übernahme.
If we wanted to say 'The supervisory board of two companies', how would we use the number two here?
You would use the genitive form of the number two, which is zweier. The phrase would be Der Aufsichtsrat zweier Firmen. Because there is no article before the number to indicate the genitive case, the number itself takes the -er ending to show possession.
Is there a difference between genehmigen and erlauben?
Yes, genehmigen is specifically used for formal, official, or administrative approvals. You use it when a board approves a corporate action, or a government grants a permit. Erlauben is the general everyday word for allowing something.
What is the root of the noun die Übernahme?
It comes from the verb übernehmen, meaning to take over. In a business context, die Übernahme refers to a corporate takeover or acquisition, which fits perfectly with the mention of an Aufsichtsrat (supervisory board).
Could we use welches instead of was to refer back to the whole sentence?
Yes, you will sometimes see welches used in highly formal or bureaucratic written German to refer back to a whole clause. However, was is much more common and is the standard choice for everyday spoken and written German.
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