Breakdown of Manche Wünsche bleiben privat; darüber rede ich nicht.
ich
I
nicht
not
bleiben
to remain
darüber
about that
der Wunsch
the wish
reden
to talk
manche
some
privat
private
Questions & Answers about Manche Wünsche bleiben privat; darüber rede ich nicht.
What does manche mean, and how is it different from einige?
Both mean some. Manche often suggests “quite a few” or a noticeable subset and can sound a bit more general or literary; einige is the neutral “several/a few.” In many contexts they are interchangeable.
Why is Wünsche capitalized and why does it have an umlaut?
What case and number is manche Wünsche?
Nominative plural. It’s the subject of the clause, so manche takes the nominative plural ending -e.
Why is it privat and not private here?
After linking verbs like bleiben, adjectives are used predicatively without endings: bleiben privat. You’d use an ending only attributively: private Wünsche.
What exactly does bleiben do here compared to sein?
Bleiben is a copular verb meaning “to remain,” implying continuity: bleiben privat = remain private. Sein just states a current state: sind privat = are private (no implication about change).
Why is there a semicolon? Could I use a period or a comma with a conjunction?
Yes. A semicolon separates two related main clauses. You could also write: Manche Wünsche bleiben privat. Darüber rede ich nicht. Or: Manche Wünsche bleiben privat, aber darüber rede ich nicht.
What does darüber mean and how is it formed?
It means “about that/it” and is a pronominal adverb: da- + über. It replaces über + das. Question–answer pair: Worüber redest du? – Ich rede darüber.
Why is the word order darüber rede ich nicht?
German main clauses are verb-second (V2). Darüber occupies first position, pushing the finite verb rede into second position; the subject ich follows.
Where should nicht go? Is Ich rede nicht darüber also correct?
Yes. Neutral: Ich rede nicht darüber. Topic emphasis: Darüber rede ich nicht. Slight focus on the prepositional phrase: Ich rede darüber nicht. All are grammatical; word order shifts the emphasis.
Can I use sprechen or sagen instead of reden?
Yes for sprechen: Darüber spreche ich nicht (a bit more formal). Sagen doesn’t take über; say: Ich sage nichts dazu or Ich sage dazu nichts. With erzählen, use von/davon: Darüber erzähle ich nicht is less idiomatic than Davon erzähle ich nicht.
What’s the difference between darüber and drüber?
Drüber is a colloquial contraction. Darüber rede ich nicht is neutral/standard; Drüber red’ ich nicht sounds casual.
Is privat an adjective or an adverb here?
A predicative adjective (subject complement) after bleiben. It describes the subject’s state, not the manner of the action, so it’s not an adverb.
How would I say “Many a wish remains private”?
Use the singular: Mancher Wunsch bleibt privat or Manch ein Wunsch bleibt privat. This sounds somewhat literary.
How do I say “Some of the wishes remain private”?
Manche der Wünsche bleiben privat or Einige der Wünsche bleiben privat. The der signals “of the.”
Does manch- change with case in the plural?
Yes. Plural: nominative/accusative manche, dative manchen, genitive mancher (e.g., mit manchen Wünschen, wegen mancher Wünsche).
Why is the verb form rede and not redet?
Can I use darüber for people, or should I say über ihn/sie?
Use über ihn/sie/sie (Plural) for people. Darüber typically refers to things, ideas, or situations: Ich rede nicht über ihn, but Ich rede nicht darüber (about that topic).
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do German cases work?”
German has four grammatical cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possession). The case determines the form of articles and adjectives. For example, "the dog" is "der Hund" as a subject but "den Hund" as a direct object.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning GermanMaster German — from Manche Wünsche bleiben privat; darüber rede ich nicht to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions