Breakdown of Wir freuen uns, dass das Konzert pünktlich anfängt.
wir
we
dass
that
uns
us
pünktlich
on time
das Konzert
the concert
sich freuen
to be glad
anfangen
to start
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Questions & Answers about Wir freuen uns, dass das Konzert pünktlich anfängt.
What does the reflexive verb sich freuen mean in Wir freuen uns?
The verb sich freuen means “to be happy” or “to look forward to.” As a reflexive verb it always needs a reflexive pronoun (here uns), so Wir freuen uns literally means “we make ourselves happy,” i.e. “we’re happy” or “we’re looking forward (to something).”
Why is the reflexive pronoun uns placed directly after the verb in Wir freuen uns?
In a standard German main clause the basic word order is Subject – Verb – (Reflexive Pronoun) – other elements. That’s why wir (subject) is followed by freuen (verb) and then uns (reflexive pronoun).
Why is there no preposition like auf or über after freuen?
German uses three different patterns with sich freuen:
- sich freuen auf + Akk. (“to look forward to something”)
- sich freuen über + Akk. (“to be pleased about something that happened”)
- sich freuen, dass … (direct dass‑clause explaining what makes you happy)
Here we use the third pattern, so no auf or über is needed.
How can I tell that dass here is a conjunction and not the article das?
The conjunction is spelled with double s (dass) and introduces a subordinate clause. The single‑s das is either the neuter definite article or a relative pronoun.
Why is there a comma before dass?
In German, any subordinate clause—like the one introduced by dass—must be separated from the main clause by a comma.
Why is das Konzert in the nominative case in the subordinate clause?
In dass das Konzert pünktlich anfängt, das Konzert is the subject of the subordinate clause (it’s doing the beginning), so it takes the nominative case.
Why does the verb anfängt appear at the end of the subordinate clause?
German subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions (such as dass) follow the verb‑final rule: the finite verb is placed at the very end of the clause.
Why is the separable verb anfangen written as one word anfängt instead of split into fängt … an?
In main clauses you split separable verbs (Er fängt pünktlich an), but in subordinate clauses you keep the prefix attached and place the full verb at the end (…dass es anfängt).
Could I use beginnt instead of anfängt?
Yes. beginnen is a more formal synonym of anfangen. You can say … dass das Konzert pünktlich beginnt without changing the meaning.
What’s the difference between pünktlich and rechtzeitig?
pünktlich means “exactly on time” (right at the scheduled minute). rechtzeitig means “in good time” or “early enough,” often implying arriving before any deadline or before it’s too late.
Could I say Wir freuen uns, dass es pünktlich anfängt instead of repeating das Konzert?
Yes—once das Konzert is understood, you can refer back to it with es: Wir freuen uns, dass es pünktlich anfängt. The full noun is used initially to introduce the subject clearly.