Learn Hardcore German: Bisher hat niemand die richtige Taste gefunden; wir nehmen stattdessen den Schalter. - So far nobody has found the right button; instead we take the switch.

German main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule: the finite verb must be in the second position. When an element like Bisher (so far) is put first, it takes position 1, so the verb comes next and the subject follows:

Bisher [1] hat [2] niemand [3] die richtige Taste [4] gefunden [5]. If the subject is first, it’s the other way around:
Niemand hat bisher die richtige Taste gefunden.

Why hat gefunden instead of simple past fand?

In everyday spoken German, the present perfect (Perfekt, here hat gefunden) is preferred over the simple past (Präteritum, fand). The simple past is common in written narratives and with a handful of very frequent verbs (like war, hatte). So:

Spoken: Bisher hat niemand ... gefunden.
Written narrative: Bisher fand niemand ... (possible, but sounds literary in speech).

Why is it hat gefunden and not ist gefunden?

Most transitive verbs (those that take a direct object) form the Perfekt with haben, not sein. Finden takes a direct object (die richtige Taste), so it uses haben:

Er hat die Taste gefunden. Verbs that use sein typically indicate motion or a change of state (e.g., gehen → ist gegangen, einschlafen → ist eingeschlafen).

Why hat and not haben? Does niemand count as singular?

Yes. Niemand (nobody) is grammatically singular and takes third-person singular verbs:

Niemand hat ...
Likewise: Jemand ist/hat ...

What case and gender is die richtige Taste, and why is the adjective ending -e?

Taste is feminine.
It’s the direct object of finden, so it’s in the accusative.
Feminine nominative and accusative with a definite article both use die.
With a definite article in feminine singular, attributive adjectives take -e: die richtige Taste. So you see die richtige both in nominative and accusative feminine singular.

Why is gefunden at the end?

In the Perfekt, German forms a “sentence bracket”: the auxiliary (hat) appears near the start, and the past participle (gefunden) goes to the end of the clause:

Bisher hat niemand ... gefunden.

What’s the difference between Taste, Knopf, Schalter, and Taster?

Taste: a key or push-button (especially on keyboards, keypads, or control panels). Typical: eine Taste drücken, Enter-Taste.
Knopf: a button in general; also a clothing button or a knob. Everyday devices often have a Knopf you press or a Drehknopf you turn.
Schalter: a switch (often toggles a stable on/off state), e.g., a wall Lichtschalter. Also means a service counter (e.g., at a bank), but the technical context here makes “switch” clear.
Taster: a momentary switch (technical term), usually not used in casual speech. In this sentence, the contrast is between a “correct button/key” (Taste) and using a “switch” (Schalter) instead.

Why den Schalter and not der Schalter?

Schalter is masculine. As the direct object of nehmen, it’s in the accusative, and masculine accusative takes den:

Nominative: der Schalter
Accusative: den Schalter

Is stattdessen one word, and where can I put it?

Yes, stattdessen is one word and is an adverb meaning “instead.”
Position:
- Midfield: Wir nehmen stattdessen den Schalter.
- Clause-initial (then inversion): Stattdessen nehmen wir den Schalter.
Don’t confuse it with statt/anstatt + Genitiv:
- Statt des Knopfes nehmen wir den Schalter.

Could I write statt dessen as two words?

Only in the rare, literal sense “instead of that,” where dessen is a pronoun referring back to a specific antecedent (e.g., statt dessen, was er vorgeschlagen hat). In general and in your sentence, you want the adverb stattdessen (one word).

Is the semicolon necessary? Could I use a comma or a period?

The semicolon (;) is correct because you’re linking two independent main clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
A period is also fine: ... gefunden. Stattdessen nehmen wir den Schalter.
A bare comma is not allowed between two main clauses in German. If you want a comma, add a coordinating conjunction:
- ... gefunden, aber wir nehmen stattdessen den Schalter.
- ... gefunden, und wir nehmen stattdessen den Schalter.

Should I add noch after bisher?

Optional, but common: Bisher hat noch niemand ... The noch reinforces the idea of “still (not yet), up to now,” often implying an expectation that this might change.

Are other word orders possible without changing the meaning?

Yes; word order can shift for emphasis while keeping the core meaning:

Niemand hat bisher die richtige Taste gefunden; stattdessen nehmen wir den Schalter.
Die richtige Taste hat bisher niemand gefunden; stattdessen nehmen wir den Schalter.
Bis jetzt hat niemand ... / Bislang hat niemand ... (synonyms for bisher).

Can I use keiner instead of niemand?

Yes, Keiner hat ... is common and a bit more colloquial. Note forms:

Nominative: niemand / keiner
Accusative: niemanden (colloquially sometimes niemand) / keinen
Dative: niemandem / keinem

Is nehmen idiomatic here? Could I use another verb?

Yes, nehmen in the sense of “choose/use” is idiomatic: Wir nehmen den Schalter ≈ “We’ll use the switch.” Alternatives:

Wir verwenden/benutzen stattdessen den Schalter (use).
Wir betätigen stattdessen den Schalter (operate/actuate; focuses on the physical action). Pick based on nuance and context.

Are bisher, bis jetzt, and bislang interchangeable?

Largely, yes:

bisher and bislang sound neutral to slightly formal.
bis jetzt is a bit more conversational. All mean “so far / up to now” in most contexts.