Breakdown of Im Text bleibt eine Lücke, die wir morgen schließen.
in
in
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
wir
we
morgen
tomorrow
bleiben
to remain
die
that
der Text
the text
schließen
to close
die Lücke
the gap
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Questions & Answers about Im Text bleibt eine Lücke, die wir morgen schließen.
What does Im stand for, and why not in den Text?
Im is the contraction of in dem (in the). In takes the dative for location, so dem Text (masculine dative). In den Text would be accusative and imply motion into the text, not a location within it.
Why is there a comma before die?
Because die wir morgen schließen is a relative clause. In German, relative clauses are always set off by a comma.
What does the relative pronoun die refer to, and what case is it?
It refers to eine Lücke (feminine singular). Inside the relative clause, die is the direct object of schließen, so it’s accusative feminine singular. Note: nominative and accusative feminine singular are both die, so the form doesn’t change.
Why is schließen at the end of the clause?
In subordinate clauses (including relative clauses), the finite verb goes to the end. Here, schließen is finite (1st person plural present), and for this verb that form looks identical to the infinitive. If you used future, it would be … die wir morgen schließen werden (finite werden absolutely last).
Why use bleibt instead of ist?
Bleibt highlights that the gap remains/persists (it’s still there and hasn’t been fixed yet). Ist is neutral: there is a gap. Alternatives with similar nuance: besteht (noch), verbleibt (more formal).
Can I say die wir morgen füllen instead of schließen?
You can, but the set phrase is eine Lücke schließen (very idiomatic for gaps in arguments, knowledge, or text). Füllen emphasizes adding content/material and can sound less idiomatic in this context.
Can I move morgen elsewhere in the sentence?
In the relative clause, the natural spot is before the verb: die wir morgen schließen. Placing it after the verb (… schließen morgen) is ungrammatical. If you turn it into a main clause, you can front it: Morgen schließen wir die Lücke im Text.
Do I need future tense (werden) for talking about tomorrow?
No. German often uses the present for scheduled future actions. … die wir morgen schließen is perfectly normal. … die wir morgen schließen werden is also correct and can sound a bit more formal or predictive.
Why is the subject after the verb in the main clause (Im Text bleibt eine Lücke)?
German main clauses are verb-second. A prepositional phrase (Im Text) is fronted, the finite verb (bleibt) must be second, and the subject (eine Lücke) follows.
What are the genders of Text and Lücke, and why do they matter here?
- der Text (masculine): hence dative dem in im (in dem) Text.
- die Lücke (feminine): hence the relative pronoun die and the article eine.
Can I make the relative clause passive?
Yes: Im Text bleibt eine Lücke, die morgen geschlossen wird. This removes the agent (wir) and focuses on the action or result.
How does the sentence change in the plural?
Im Text bleiben Lücken, die wir morgen schließen. Note:
- bleiben (plural verb),
- Lücken (plural noun),
- die is also the correct plural relative pronoun here.
Can I use welche instead of die?
Yes: …, welche wir morgen schließen. It’s more formal/literary and less common in everyday speech than die.
Why is schließen spelled with ß, and is schliessen also correct?
In Germany/Austria it’s schließen (long vowel before ß). In Swiss Standard German, ß isn’t used, so it’s schliessen.
Is im Texte correct?
It’s an old-fashioned/poetic dative with the -e ending. You may see im Texte in older literature, but modern standard usage is im Text.