Breakdown of Nichts, was die Regel verbietet, werden wir tun.
wir
we
werden
will
die Regel
the rule
nichts
nothing
Questions & Answers about Nichts, was die Regel verbietet, werden wir tun.
Why does the verb come before the subject (werden wir)? Isn’t that a question word order?
No. In German declaratives the finite verb must be in the second position. The entire fronted phrase Nichts, was die Regel verbietet counts as position 1, so the finite verb werden sits in position 2, followed by the subject wir. It’s a statement, not a question. A neutral word order would be Wir werden nichts tun, was die Regel verbietet.
Why is it was and not das after Nichts?
After neuter pronouns like nichts, etwas, alles, vieles, wenig and after superlatives like das Beste, German uses the relative pronoun was. So Nichts, was … is the standard pattern. Using das here is nonstandard or at least very marked; stick with was.
What case is was in here?
Accusative. Inside the relative clause was die Regel verbietet, the subject is die Regel and was is the object being forbidden. For was, nominative and accusative look the same, so there’s no visible change.
Why are there two commas around was die Regel verbietet?
Because it’s a relative clause. German requires a comma before and after a relative clause: Nichts, [was die Regel verbietet], werden wir tun. Both commas are mandatory.