Breakdown of Gestern nahm der Lärm ab, weil ein Teil der Autobahn gesperrt war.
sein
to be
weil
because
Gestern
yesterday
der
the; (feminine, genitive)
Questions & Answers about Gestern nahm der Lärm ab, weil ein Teil der Autobahn gesperrt war.
What does nahm … ab mean?
nahm … ab is the simple past (Präteritum) of the separable verb abnehmen, meaning “to decrease” or “diminish.” In main clauses, the prefix ab detaches and goes to the end of the sentence, with nahm in second position.
Why does nahm come before der Lärm?
German main clauses follow the “verb-second” rule. When you start with an adverbial like Gestern, the finite verb (nahm) takes the second position, pushing the subject (der Lärm) to third position.
Why is Präteritum used instead of Perfekt here?
In German, the narrative past (Präteritum) is common in written or formal contexts when describing past events, especially with time markers like Gestern. The spoken language often uses Perfekt (e.g., hat abgenommen), but written statements frequently prefer nahm ab.
Why is there a comma before weil?
German punctuation rules require a comma before a subordinate clause introduced by conjunctions such as weil. So you separate the main clause from the subordinate clause with a comma.
Why does war appear at the end of the clause weil ein Teil der Autobahn gesperrt war?