Breakdown of Abgesehen von dem Säugling sind alle still.
sein
to be
alle
all, everyone
still
still (quiet, motionless)
abgesehen von
apart from
der Säugling
the infant
Questions & Answers about Abgesehen von dem Säugling sind alle still.
How do we know the gender and plural of Säugling?
Why is it dem Säugling in the dative case here?
The phrase abgesehen von means 'apart from' or 'except for'. Because it includes the dative preposition von, the following noun must be in the dative case. Since Säugling is masculine, the article changes to dem.
Where does the word Säugling come from?
It is built from the verb saugen, which means 'to suck' (you might recognize it from Staubsauger, meaning vacuum cleaner). When the -ling suffix is added to describe a person or entity, the stem vowel often takes an umlaut. Literally, it translates to a 'suckling' or nursing infant.
Why does the verb sind come before the subject alle?
This is the classic verb-second rule in action. The entire introductory phrase Abgesehen von dem Säugling takes up the first position in the sentence. The conjugated verb sind must take the second position, which forces the subject alle into the third position.
Why use still instead of leise for 'quiet'?
While both mean 'quiet', still implies being completely silent or motionless, making zero noise. leise means low in volume, like a whisper or soft music. Since everyone here has stopped making any noise at all, still is the perfect fit.
Learn Abgesehen von dem Säugling sind alle still 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