Learn Hardcore German: Die Absage war freundlich formuliert, deshalb bleibe ich ruhig. - The cancellation was phrased kindly, therefore I remain calm.

Absage means a refusal, rejection, or cancellation that you receive (e.g., a job application rejection, someone declining your invitation, a canceled appointment).
Typical collocations: eine Absage bekommen/erhalten, eine Absage erteilen; the verb is absagen (to cancel/decline something like an appointment).
Related word: Ablehnung (rejection, disapproval), which is broader and more abstract than Absage.

Why is it Die Absage and not Der/Das Absage? What about the plural?

Absage is grammatically feminine, so the nominative singular article is die: die Absage.
Plural: die Absagen (no change in article in nominative plural).
Indefinite: eine Absage (a rejection).
All German nouns are capitalized.

Why is there a comma before deshalb?

You have two independent main clauses. Deshalb is a conjunctive adverb, not a conjunction.
In German, a comma is mandatory between independent clauses: Die Absage war …, deshalb bleibe ich …
A semicolon or a period would also be fine stylistically: …; deshalb … or … . Deshalb …
If you used weil, you’d make a subordinate clause instead: Weil die Absage freundlich formuliert war, bleibe ich ruhig.

What’s the correct word order after deshalb?

German is verb-second (V2) in main clauses. When deshalb is first, the finite verb still must be in second position:
- Correct: Deshalb bleibe ich ruhig.
- Incorrect: Deshalb ich bleibe ruhig.

How does deshalb compare to darum, deswegen, daher and to weil, denn?

deshalb, darum, deswegen, daher = causal adverbs meaning “therefore/so,” followed by a V2 main clause: Deshalb bleibe ich ruhig.
- Nuance: daher can feel a bit more formal; the others are neutral.
weil = subordinating conjunction “because,” verb goes to the end: Weil … war, bleibe ich …
denn = coordinating conjunction “because,” keeps normal V2 in the following clause: Ich bleibe ruhig, denn die Absage war freundlich formuliert.

Why are the tenses mixed (past: war; present: bleibe)?

Perfectly normal: the friendly wording is a past state/event (war), and the calmness is your present reaction (bleibe).
Alternatives depending on context:
- Both present (if the letter is in front of you now): Die Absage ist freundlich formuliert, deshalb bleibe ich ruhig.
- Event focus in the past: Die Absage wurde freundlich formuliert, deshalb blieb ich ruhig.

Is war freundlich formuliert a kind of passive?

Yes, this is the state passive (Zustandspassiv): sein + Partizip II describes the resulting state: the rejection was in a friendly-phrased state.
The event passive (Vorgangspassiv) is werden + Partizip II:
- Event: Die Absage wurde freundlich formuliert. (It was formulated.)
- Resulting state: Die Absage war freundlich formuliert. (It ended up friendly in its wording.)

Why is it freundlich formuliert (no endings)? Why not freundlich formulierte?

In the sentence, freundlich formuliert is a predicative complement after sein; predicative adjectives/participles do not take endings.
If you use it attributively before the noun, it will take endings:
- Predicative: Die Absage war freundlich formuliert.
- Attributive: Die freundlich formulierte Absage …

Is freundlich here an adjective or an adverb?

It functions adverbially, modifying the participle formuliert (“formulated in a friendly way”).
In German, adverbs often look like adjectives; there’s no special adverb form.

Could I use synonyms like nett formuliert or höflich formuliert?

höflich formuliert = politely worded (more formal/etiquette-focused).
nett formuliert = nicely/kindly worded (more casual, can sound less formal than freundlich).
All are possible; pick based on nuance and tone.

What’s the difference between ruhig bleiben and ruhig sein?

ruhig bleiben = stay/keep calm; emphasizes maintaining a state in the face of something.
ruhig sein = be calm/quiet (a simple current state).
In this sentence, bleiben is better because it contrasts with a potentially upsetting trigger (the rejection).

How does ruhig differ from still?

ruhig = calm, tranquil; also “quiet” in the sense of “not agitated/no noise.”
still = silent, motionless. Still bleiben! often means “hold still/don’t move” or “be silent,” not “stay calm.”

Can I drop the final -e and say ich bleib?

Yes, in speech you’ll often hear ich bleib instead of ich bleibe. In careful or formal writing, keep bleibe.
Imperative: Bleib ruhig! (Stay calm!)

Can deshalb go elsewhere in the second clause?

Two common options:
- Initial position with inversion: Deshalb bleibe ich ruhig.
- Midfield after the verb/subject: Ich bleibe deshalb ruhig.
Ich bleibe ruhig deshalb is possible but marked and usually avoided unless you’re giving special end-focus.

What cases are used here?

Both subjects are in the nominative:
- Die Absage (nominative singular feminine).
- ich (nominative singular first person).
There are no objects in other cases in this sentence.

How do I pronounce the tricky words?