Breakdown of Wir versuchen heute, pünktlich zum Bahnhof zu kommen, obwohl es viele Wolken gibt.
kommen
to come
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
wir
we
zu
to
heute
today
es
it
viel
many
geben
to give
der Bahnhof
the train station
versuchen
to try
obwohl
although
die Wolke
the cloud
pünktlich
on time
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Questions & Answers about Wir versuchen heute, pünktlich zum Bahnhof zu kommen, obwohl es viele Wolken gibt.
What is the role of obwohl in this sentence?
Obwohl is a subordinating conjunction meaning although. It introduces a subordinate clause that offers a contrasting piece of information relative to the main clause. In this sentence, it shows that even though there are many clouds, the attempt to get to the train station on time is still being made.
Why is there a comma before obwohl?
In German, subordinate clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (like obwohl) are separated from the main clause with a comma. This punctuation marks the boundary between the two clauses and signals that the verb in the subordinate clause will move to the end of that clause.
What is the function of the infinitive clause pünktlich zum Bahnhof zu kommen?
The phrase pünktlich zum Bahnhof zu kommen is an infinitive clause functioning as the object of the verb versuchen (to try). It details what is being attempted—in this case, arriving at the station on time—and uses the zu + infinitive construction common in German when expressing such complements.
Why is the preposition zu contracted to zum in zum Bahnhof?
Zum is a contraction of zu dem. Since Bahnhof is a masculine noun (der Bahnhof) and the preposition zu requires the dative case, zu dem Bahnhof contracts to zum Bahnhof for smoother pronunciation and writing.
Why is the dummy subject es used in the clause obwohl es viele Wolken gibt?
In the expression es gibt, es acts as a dummy or impersonal subject similar to the English there in phrases like there are. It is a fixed part of the construction that indicates existence—in this case, that many clouds are present.
How does the word order differ between the main clause and the subordinate clause in this sentence?
In the main clause Wir versuchen heute, pünktlich zum Bahnhof zu kommen, the finite verb versuchen appears in the second position, following standard German word order. Conversely, in the subordinate clause obwohl es viele Wolken gibt, the conjugated verb gibt is placed at the end of the clause, which is a typical feature of subordinate clauses introduced by a subordinating conjunction like obwohl.