Breakdown of Wir haben die Erlaubnis, die Fassade zu verschönern, also ist es legal.
sein
to be
es
it
haben
to have
wir
we
also
so, therefore
zu
to (infinitive marker)
die Erlaubnis
the permission
die Fassade
the facade
verschönern
to beautify
legal
legal
Questions & Answers about Wir haben die Erlaubnis, die Fassade zu verschönern, also ist es legal.
How would this sentence look if we used a modal verb instead of die Erlaubnis haben?
You would use the modal verb dürfen (to be allowed to). The sentence would become: Wir dürfen die Fassade verschönern, also ist es legal. Using the noun phrase die Erlaubnis haben sounds more formal and administrative, which fits the context of legal property modifications.
Why is the verb ist right after also in the second half of the sentence?
Unlike coordinating conjunctions such as und or aber (which do not take up a word order slot), also is an adverb. It takes position 1 in its clause. Therefore, the conjugated verb ist must immediately follow in position 2, before the subject es.
Are the commas around die Fassade zu verschönern mandatory here?
Yes. When an infinitive clause with zu explains or depends on a specific noun in the main clause (in this case, the noun die Erlaubnis), the commas are strictly required in German to separate it from the rest of the sentence.
How is the verb verschönern formed, and what does the prefix ver- do?
It comes from the adjective schön (beautiful). Adding the prefix ver- and the verb ending -ern turns it into an action meaning to make something beautiful or to beautify. The prefix ver- is often used with adjectives to indicate a transformation or a change in state.
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