Durch den alten Fensterrahmen sehe ich unten wieder die Ampel.

Through the old window frame I see the traffic light below again.

Breakdown of Durch den alten Fensterrahmen sehe ich unten wieder die Ampel.

• ich: I
• alt: old
• sehen: to see
• wieder: again

Questions & Answers about Durch den alten Fensterrahmen sehe ich unten wieder die Ampel.

Why is Fensterrahmen masculine when Fenster itself is neuter?

Compound nouns in German take the gender of their head (the last component). Here the head is Rahmen (der Rahmen), which is masculine. Therefore Fensterrahmen is also masculine.

Why is the article den used with alten Fensterrahmen rather than dem?

The preposition durch always requires the accusative case. Since Fensterrahmen is masculine singular, its accusative definite article is den (not dem, which is dative).

Why is the adjective alten not alter or altem?

With a definite article in the accusative masculine singular, German adjectives take the weak declension ending -en. Hence it’s den alten Fensterrahmen, not alter or altem.

Why does the verb sehe come before the subject ich?