Breakdown of Auch wenn wir einmal verlieren, glauben wir an den nächsten Sieg.
wir
we
wenn
if
verlieren
to lose
der Sieg
the victory
einmal
once
glauben
to believe
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Questions & Answers about Auch wenn wir einmal verlieren, glauben wir an den nächsten Sieg.
What does auch wenn mean, and how is it different from wenn?
auch wenn literally means “even if” or “even when” and introduces a concessive clause (“even if we lose”). It’s stronger than plain wenn, which simply means “if” or “when” and doesn’t carry the sense of concession. You could sometimes use selbst wenn (“even if”) interchangeably, but selbst wenn tends to sound more formal or emphatic.
Why is verlieren placed at the end of the clause?
In German subordinate clauses (Nebensätze) introduced by conjunctions like auch wenn, the finite verb goes to the very end. Here, verlieren is the verb of the subordinate clause, so it sits in final position.
Why is there a comma after verlieren?
German punctuation rules require a comma to separate the subordinate clause (Auch wenn wir einmal verlieren) from the main clause (glauben wir an den nächsten Sieg).
What does einmal mean in this sentence?
Here einmal functions as an adverb meaning “once” or “ever” in the sense of “on one occasion.” It softens the statement: “even if we happen to lose once.”
Why does glauben take an and why is it followed by den nächsten Sieg?
The verb glauben can take the preposition an when you “believe in” something (an idea or outcome). In this case, you believe in the next victory, so you say an den nächsten Sieg.
Why is nächsten given the ending -en, and why is the article den?
Sieg is a masculine noun. After the preposition an, which here governs the accusative case, the definite article is den (masc. accusative). With a definite article in the accusative, adjectives take the weak ending -en, so nächsten.
Could we use selbst wenn instead of auch wenn here?
Yes. Selbst wenn wir einmal verlieren, glauben wir an den nächsten Sieg. is grammatically correct and translates the same (“Even if we lose…”). Selbst wenn is slightly more formal or emphatic than auch wenn.
Can we change the word order to put the main clause first? For example: Wir glauben an den nächsten Sieg, auch wenn wir einmal verlieren.
Absolutely. German allows that inversion: the main clause can lead, the subordinate clause follow—with the same comma rule. Notice in that case the verb in the subordinate clause still goes to the end.
Is the verb verlieren in a particular mood or tense here?
No special mood—this is the present indicative used for a general hypothetical (“even if we lose”). It’s not subjunctive; it simply describes a possible event in the present/future.