Learn Hardcore German: Die Wartung der Heizung findet monatlich statt. - The maintenance of the heating takes place monthly.

It’s the separable verb stattfinden (“to take place”). In a main clause, the verb splits: the conjugated part (findet) goes to position 2, and the particle (statt) goes to the end: Die Wartung … findet … statt. In a subordinate clause it stays together: …, dass … stattfindet. In the present perfect: hat stattgefunden.

Is statt here the same word as statt meaning “instead of”?

No. Here statt is the separable particle of the verb stattfinden. The preposition statt (“instead of”) is a different word, e.g., statt des Termins (“instead of the appointment”).

Why is monatlich placed before statt? Could it go elsewhere?

The particle statt must be at the very end, so adverbs like monatlich go before it: findet monatlich statt. You can front it for emphasis: Monatlich findet die Wartung der Heizung statt. You can also use a synonym phrase: findet jeden Monat statt.

What’s the difference between monatlich, jeden Monat, and einmal pro Monat/im Monat?

monatlich = monthly (adverb/adjective), concise and neutral.
jeden Monat = every month, a bit more explicit.
einmal pro Monat / einmal im Monat = specifies frequency once a month (good if you need “once”).
Example: Die Wartung … findet einmal im Monat statt.

Why is it der Heizung and not die Heizung?

Der Heizung is the feminine genitive singular, showing association: “the maintenance of the heating.” The subject is Die Wartung (nominative); der Heizung depends on it in the genitive.

How do I know der Heizung is genitive and not dative?

After a noun like Wartung, a following bare noun phrase is typically genitive (possession/association). There’s no preposition or verb here that would govern dative. You can paraphrase it as “the maintenance of the heating,” confirming a genitive-style relation.

Can I say Wartung von der Heizung or Wartung an der Heizung?

Wartung der Heizung (genitive) is preferred in neutral/formal style.
Wartung von der Heizung (von + dative) occurs in everyday speech but is less formal.
Wartung an der Heizung (an + dative) is also common and focuses on work done “on” the heating unit.

What are the genders and plurals of Wartung and Heizung?

Both are feminine (die). Plurals: die Wartungen, die Heizungen. The -ung ending is almost always feminine.

Could I use a passive instead, like “The heating is maintained monthly”?

Yes: Die Heizung wird monatlich gewartet. This focuses on the object and the action, not the event “taking place.”

Are there good alternatives to findet … statt?

Yes:

Die Wartung der Heizung erfolgt monatlich. (formal, neutral)
Die Wartung der Heizung wird monatlich durchgeführt. (passive, emphasizes execution) Avoid passieren here; it’s for incidents, not scheduled events.

How would this look in a subordinate clause or different tenses?

Subordinate: …, dass die Wartung der Heizung monatlich stattfindet.
Simple past: Die Wartung … fand monatlich statt.
Present perfect: Die Wartung … hat monatlich stattgefunden.

Can the sentence start with the time word for emphasis?

Yes: Monatlich findet die Wartung der Heizung statt. The verb still stays in position 2.

Is there a compound-word version?

Yes: Die Heizungswartung findet monatlich statt. German often prefers compounds; this is concise and natural in technical or administrative contexts.

What’s the difference between Wartung, Inspektion, Reparatur, and Service?

Wartung: maintenance (routine upkeep, replacing wear parts).
Inspektion: inspection/check.
Reparatur: repair (fixing a defect).
Service: general service; can mean maintenance, support, or customer service depending on context.

How would I say “every other month” or “bi-monthly”?

“Every other month”: alle zwei Monate.
“Bi-monthly” (ambiguous in English): use zweimonatlich (every two months) or zweimal im Monat (twice a month).

How do I pronounce the tricky words?

Approximate:

Wartung [VAR-toong]
Heizung [HY-tsung] (initial “Heiz-” like English “hite-” without the final e)
findet [FIN-det]
monatlich [MOH-naht-likh] (final “-ch” as in German “ich”)
statt [shtat] (initial “st” like “sht” in standard German pronunciation)

Common mistakes to avoid with this sentence?

Don’t keep the verb together in a main clause: not findet statt together; use the split findet … statt.
Don’t put statt anywhere but the very end.
Don’t use passieren for scheduled events.
Keep nouns capitalized (Wartung, Heizung), but monatlich is lowercase (unless sentence-initial).
Don’t say findet statt monatlich; place monatlich before statt.