Der Nachteil des langen Weges ist, dass er spät zu Hause ankommt.

Der Nachteil des langen Weges ist, dass er spät zu Hause ankommt.
The disadvantage of the long way is that he arrives home late.

Breakdown of Der Nachteil des langen Weges ist, dass er spät zu Hause ankommt.

sein
to be
das Haus
the house
zu
to
lang
long
er
he
spät
late
dass
that
der Weg
the way
der Nachteil
the disadvantage
ankommen
to arrive
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Questions & Answers about Der Nachteil des langen Weges ist, dass er spät zu Hause ankommt.

Why is des langen Weges in the genitive case and how do I form it?

In German the genitive case often expresses “of / ’ s.” Here des langen Weges literally means “of the long way.” You form it as follows:

  • Masculine singular nouns like Weg add -es (or sometimes -s) in the genitive: Weg → Weges.
  • The definite article for masculine genitive is des.
  • Adjectives get the weak ending -en after a definite article: lang → langen.
    Put them together: des langen Weges = “of the long way.”
When should I use dass (with ss) instead of das (with one s)?

dass with ss is a conjunction meaning “that,” used to introduce a subordinate clause.
Example: “… ist, dass er spät zu Hause ankommt.”
By contrast, das with one s is either:
• A definite article (“the”), e.g. das Buch
• A demonstrative or relative pronoun (“that/which”), e.g. Das ist gut.
Tip: If you can replace it with “which” or “this,” use das. If you need “that” to join clauses, use dass.

Why is there a comma before dass?
In German, you always separate a main clause from a subordinate clause with a comma. Since dass introduces a subordinate clause here, put a comma immediately before dass.
Why is ankommt at the end of the subordinate clause?

German subordinate‐clause word order: the finite verb moves to the very end.
Main clause: Subject – Verb – …
Subordinate clause introduced by dass: dass – Subject – (objects/adverbials) – finite verb.
Hence: dass er spät zu Hause ankommt.

Why is zu Hause written as two words and capitalized?
Hause is a noun (“house”) and so is capitalized. Together zu Hause is a fixed adverbial phrase meaning “at home.” Even though it functions like a single idea in English, German keeps the preposition zu separate from the noun.
What determines the position of spät and zu Hause in the clause? Could I say dass er zu Hause spät ankommt?

German adverb order often follows Time – Manner – Place (TMP). Here:
• spät = time (“late”)
• zu Hause = place (“at home”)
So spät comes before zu Hause.
You can swap them for emphasis or style, but the default sounds most natural as:
“… dass er spät zu Hause ankommt.”

Why is ist in the second position in the main clause?

German main clauses follow the V‑second rule: the finite verb must be the second idea. In Der Nachteil des langen Weges ist, …,

  1. First position = Der Nachteil des langen Weges (subject)
  2. Second position = ist (verb)
    Everything else follows. This is why ist appears right after the subject phrase.