Learn Hardcore German: Im Stau schnalle ich den Sicherheitsgurt nicht ab, auch wenn das Auto steht. - In a traffic jam I do not unfasten the seat belt even when the car is stationary.

Im is the contraction of in + dem, and Stau (“traffic jam”) follows in in a static sense, which requires the dative. So Im Stau means “in the traffic jam.”

Why is the verb schnalle in the second position in the sentence?

German main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be the second element. Since Im Stau is the first element, schnalle comes immediately after.

What is the base verb in schnalle ich … ab, and why is it split?

The base verb is the separable verb abschnallen (to unbuckle). In main clauses, separable-prefix verbs split: the prefix ab moves to the end, leaving schnalle with the finite verb.

Why is den Sicherheitsgurt in the accusative case?

Sicherheitsgurt (safety belt) is a masculine noun (der Sicherheitsgurt). As the direct object of abschnallen, it takes the accusative, so der becomes den.

Why is nicht placed before ab rather than somewhere else?

To negate the action of unbuckling, nicht generally comes right before the separable prefix at the end. This placement negates the whole verb abschnallen.

What does auch wenn mean here?

Auch wenn means “even if” (or “even though”) and introduces a hypothetical or concessive subordinate clause.

Why is steht at the end of the clause auch wenn das Auto steht?

Because auch wenn is a subordinating conjunction. In German subordinate clauses, the finite verb moves to the final position.

Why is the verb stehen used for “the car is stationary” instead of ist?

In German, stehen often describes objects that are upright and stationary, like a car at a stop. You could say ist (“is”), but steht is more specific about its position.

Can I replace das Auto with es in the subordinate clause?

Yes. Once you’ve mentioned das Auto (“the car”), you can also say auch wenn es steht, where es refers back to the car.