Breakdown of Ich frage mich, warum dieser Hund am alleraußergewöhnlichsten ist.
ich
I
sein
to be
der Hund
the dog
fragen
to ask
mich
me
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
warum
why
am
the most (superlative marker)
außergewöhnlich
extraordinary
Questions & Answers about Ich frage mich, warum dieser Hund am alleraußergewöhnlichsten ist.
How exactly does aller- work with am außergewöhnlichsten in this sentence?
The prefix aller- intensifies a superlative, translating to "the very most" or "of all". When an adjective describes a noun but comes after a verb like sein (to be) rather than directly before the noun, we use the am ...-sten superlative form. You just attach aller- right to the front of the adjective to get am alleraußergewöhnlichsten.
alleraußergewöhnlichsten is a huge word! How is it constructed?
It looks intimidating, but it breaks down logically. The root is gewöhnlich (ordinary or usual). Adding außer- (outside of) makes it außergewöhnlich (extraordinary). The standard superlative form is am außergewöhnlichsten. Finally, the intensifying prefix aller- is tacked onto the front to mean "the very most extraordinary".
Why is the reflexive pronoun mich used here? Can't I just say Ich frage, warum...?
If you just say Ich frage, it means you are actively directing a question at someone else. By using the reflexive verb sich fragen and adding mich (literally: I ask myself), the phrase takes on the specific meaning of "I wonder".
Why does ist go at the very end of the sentence instead of right after Hund?
The word warum (why) introduces an indirect question, which acts as a subordinate clause. In German subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb (in this case, ist) is always kicked to the very end of the sentence.
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