Breakdown of Fünftens müssen wir fünfzig Tage an diesem Vorsatz arbeiten.
arbeiten
to work
wir
we
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
müssen
to have to, must
an
at, on (vertical) / to (addressee) / of (in quantity/stock expressions)
fünfzig
fifty
der Tag
the day
der Vorsatz
the resolution (personal intention)
fünftens
fifthly
Questions & Answers about Fünftens müssen wir fünfzig Tage an diesem Vorsatz arbeiten.
How does fünftens affect the word order here?
Fünftens (fifthly) is an adverb. Because it occupies the first position in the sentence, the conjugated verb müssen must immediately follow it in the second position, pushing the subject wir to the third position.
How do you build a word like fünftens?
You form these enumerating adverbs by taking the ordinal number (like der fünfte, meaning the fifth) and adding the suffix -ns. Unlike adjectives, these adverbs are invariable, meaning they never change their endings to match a noun.
Why is it an diesem Vorsatz in the dative case?
When you work 'on' a project or task, German uses the verb arbeiten combined with the preposition an. In this specific context, an always requires the dative case. Since Vorsatz (resolution) is a masculine noun, the demonstrative pronoun takes the dative masculine ending, becoming diesem.
Where is the translation for 'for' in fünfzig Tage (for fifty days)?
To express how long an action lasts, German typically uses a time expression in the accusative case without any preposition. Saying für fünfzig Tage sounds like a direct translation from English, so using just the accusative phrase fünfzig Tage is the much more natural and standard choice.
Learn Fünftens müssen wir fünfzig Tage an diesem Vorsatz arbeiten 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