Breakdown of Im Märchen schließt er einen Vertrag mit dem Teufel.
in
in
mit
with
schließen
to close
der Vertrag
the contract
das Märchen
the fairy tale
der Teufel
the devil
Questions & Answers about Im Märchen schließt er einen Vertrag mit dem Teufel.
Why is the verb schließt (closes) used here to mean "makes"?
In German, the standard collocation (fixed word partnership) for making or entering into a contract is einen Vertrag schließen or einen Vertrag abschließen. Literally, you are "closing" a contract, which is similar to how we "close a deal" in English.
Could I also use the separable verb abschließen in this sentence?
Yes, einen Vertrag abschließen is very common, especially in everyday contexts like signing a phone or rental contract. However, the base verb schließen sounds slightly more formal or literary, which fits the tone of a fairy tale perfectly.
The translation says "pact", but isn't Vertrag usually a "contract"?
Exactly. In modern business or legal contexts, der Vertrag means "contract" or "treaty". But in a mythological or literary context like this one, translating it as "pact" captures the natural English phrasing best. You might also encounter the specific compound noun der Teufelspakt for this exact trope.
I know words ending in -chen are diminutives. What is Märchen a diminutive of?
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