Breakdown of Der Plan klingt komisch, ist aber genial in der Praxis.
sein
to be
in
in
aber
but
der Plan
the plan
klingen
to sound
genial
brilliant
komisch
strange
die Praxis
the practice
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Questions & Answers about Der Plan klingt komisch, ist aber genial in der Praxis.
Why is there a comma before aber?
German requires a comma between two main clauses when they are contrasted, typically with aber. Here, both halves—Der Plan klingt komisch and (Der Plan) ist … genial …—are independent clauses, so the comma is mandatory. If aber is used only as a flavoring particle inside a single clause (e.g., Das ist aber teuer!), there’s no clause boundary and thus no comma issue.
Where did the subject go in the second clause?
It’s omitted by gapping. When two coordinated clauses share the same subject, German can drop it in the second clause. Fully explicit: Der Plan klingt komisch, aber er ist genial in der Praxis. The given version is leaner and idiomatic.
Does starting the second clause with ist break the verb‑second rule? And why is aber after the verb?
- The second clause is elliptical; the (understood) subject would fill the first position, so ist effectively remains in second position.
- In contrasts like this, aber often appears after the finite verb or the subject: …, ist aber genial … / …, er ist aber genial …. You can also write …, aber er ist genial …. The variant …, aber ist genial … (omitting the subject after aber) is possible but often avoided in careful writing.
Does komisch mean “funny” or “strange”?
In everyday use it usually means “odd/strange/weird,” not necessarily “funny-ha‑ha.” For humorous “funny,” prefer lustig or witzig. Close synonyms for the sense here: seltsam, merkwürdig, eigenartig.
Is genial a false friend?
Yes. German genial = “ingenious, brilliant, inspired.” It does not mean “genial/affable” (for that: liebenswürdig, umgänglich).
Why klingt and not hört sich … an?
Both are fine for “sounds (like).”
- klingen is concise and neutral: Das klingt komisch.
- sich anhören is slightly more colloquial: Das hört sich komisch an. No big difference here; style and rhythm decide.
Why no adjective endings on komisch and genial?
They’re predicate adjectives (after klingen and sein), which stay uninflected: Die Idee ist gut; Es klingt seltsam. Endings appear before nouns: ein genialer Plan; ein komischer Plan.
What case is in der Praxis, and why?
Dative. in takes dative for location (where?) and accusative for movement (where to?). die Praxis → der Praxis in the dative. The phrase in der Praxis is a fixed contrast to in der Theorie.
Can I leave out the article and say in Praxis?
Normally no. The idiomatic expression is in der Praxis. Without the article sounds unidiomatic except in some set technical/legal phrases.
How do aber, doch, jedoch, allerdings differ here?
All can mark contrast, with nuance:
- aber: default, neutral contrast: …, ist aber genial …
- jedoch: more formal/literary, like “however”: …, ist jedoch genial …
- allerdings: concessive/limiting tone: …, ist allerdings genial …
- doch: counters an expectation/objection: …, ist doch genial …
Can I rewrite it with a subordinating conjunction?
Yes: Obwohl der Plan komisch klingt, ist er in der Praxis genial. With obwohl, the verb of the subordinate clause goes to the end (klingt).
Can I move in der Praxis earlier?
Yes—word order shifts emphasis:
- Der Plan klingt komisch, ist aber in der Praxis genial.
- In der Praxis ist der Plan aber genial. All are grammatical; choose based on focus.
What are the principal parts of klingen?
Present: klingt; simple past: klang; perfect: hat geklungen.
Any pronunciation tips?
- genial: hard g at the start (like “geh-NEE-ahl”), not English “jee-”.
- komisch: -sch = “sh”; ch here is the soft “ich”-sound.
- Praxis: x = “ks”; stress the first syllable: PRA-xis.
Could I use wirkt or scheint instead of klingt?
Sometimes:
- wirkt = “comes across/has the effect of” (overall impression).
- scheint = “seems/appears” (inference).
- klingt = “sounds (from its description).” Choose the one that matches the perspective.
Why not sondern instead of aber?
sondern (“but rather”) requires a preceding negation: Er ist nicht dumm, sondern genial. There’s no negation here, so aber (or jedoch/allerdings/doch) is appropriate.
Does Praxis ever mean a doctor’s office?
Yes, die Praxis can mean “(medical) practice/clinic.” In the set phrase in der Praxis, it means “in practice/in real life,” not a clinic.