Breakdown of Ob das Festzelt schon steht, weiß niemand.
stehen
to stand
schon
already
wissen
to know (a fact)
niemand
no one
ob
whether / if
das Festzelt
the party tent
Questions & Answers about Ob das Festzelt schon steht, weiß niemand.
Why is the verb weiß right after the comma?
Because the entire indirect question (Ob das Festzelt schon steht) occupies Position 1 of the main sentence. In German, the conjugated verb of the main clause must always be in Position 2. Therefore, weiß immediately follows the fronted clause, pushing the subject (niemand) to Position 3.
The lesson is about subject clauses. Is Ob das Festzelt schon steht the subject here?
Good catch! No, it is actually an object clause. The subject of the main clause is niemand (nobody). The fronted clause acts as the direct object: Nobody knows what? Whether the marquee is up. However, the word order rule taught in this lesson is exactly the same: placing an entire subordinate clause in Position 1 forces the main verb into Position 2.
Could I use wenn instead of ob here, since both can mean 'if'?
No, you must use ob. Use ob for indirect yes/no questions and expressions of uncertainty (translating perfectly to 'whether'). Use wenn for conditions ('if it rains, we will...') or time ('whenever'). Since someone is wondering yes or no about the tent being ready, ob is the only correct choice.
Why use steht (stands) to say the marquee is 'up'?
In German, the verb stehen is commonly used for structures that have been built or erected. Just like a completed building 'stands', a tent that is fully pitched and ready for use is simply said to stehen.
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