Breakdown of Wenn du meine Tante siehst, begrüße sie bitte freundlich.
du
you
sehen
to see
mein
my
bitte
please
wenn
when
begrüßen
to greet
die Tante
the aunt
sie
her
freundlich
kindly
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Questions & Answers about Wenn du meine Tante siehst, begrüße sie bitte freundlich.
Why does the finite verb in the subordinate clause (“siehst”) appear at the end of that clause?
In German, subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like wenn always have the finite verb placed at the very end. This rule distinguishes them from main clauses and is a key element of German sentence structure.
What is the role of the conjunction wenn in this sentence?
The word wenn introduces the subordinate clause and sets up a condition. It functions like “if” or “when” in English, indicating that the instruction in the main clause applies only under the condition that you see my aunt.
Why is there a comma between “Wenn du meine Tante siehst” and “begrüße sie bitte freundlich”?
In German, a comma is mandatory to separate a subordinate clause from the main clause. This punctuation rule helps clarify the boundary between the conditional part and the command, ensuring each clause’s structure is clear.
How is the imperative in the main clause “begrüße sie bitte freundlich” formed, and why isn’t the subject explicitly mentioned?
The main clause is in the du imperative form, which means the command is directly addressed to “you”—making it unnecessary to mention the subject explicitly. The verb begrüßen is conjugated as begrüße for the informal singular command. Including bitte adds a level of politeness to the directive.
To what does the pronoun sie refer in the sentence, and why is it repeated?
The pronoun sie in “begrüße sie bitte freundlich” refers back to meine Tante mentioned in the subordinate clause. Using the pronoun instead of repeating the noun keeps the sentence concise while maintaining clarity about who should be greeted.
What function does bitte serve in this sentence, and how does it affect the command?
bitte means “please” and is used here to make the command polite. Its inclusion softens the imperative, turning an order into a courteous request, which is common in everyday German to maintain a friendly tone.
Why is freundlich placed at the end, and does it act as an adjective or as an adverb here?
freundlich describes the manner in which you should greet my aunt. Although it is an adjective, it is used adverbially in this context to modify the verb begrüße. In German, adjectives can serve as adverbs without any alteration in form, and placing freundlich at the end emphasizes how the greeting should be carried out.