Breakdown of Die Firma hat den falschen Artikel geliefert; ich schicke ihn sofort zurück.
ich
I
haben
to have
sofort
immediately
ihn
it
falsch
wrong
die Firma
the company
liefern
to deliver
zurückschicken
to send back
der Artikel
the item
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Questions & Answers about Die Firma hat den falschen Artikel geliefert; ich schicke ihn sofort zurück.
Why is it den falschen Artikel and not der falsche Artikel?
Because den falschen Artikel is the direct object of the verb liefern and must be in the accusative case. Artikel is masculine, so the definite article in accusative is den, and the adjective takes the weak ending -en: den falschen Artikel.
What case is ihn, and what does it refer to?
ihn is accusative singular masculine. It refers back to der Artikel (masculine). If the noun were feminine or neuter, the pronoun would be sie or es respectively.
Why use hat geliefert instead of lieferte?
Both are correct. hat geliefert (Perfekt) is preferred in spoken German and in many kinds of everyday writing. lieferte (Präteritum/simple past) is more common in formal or literary writing, reports, and newspapers. There’s no change in meaning here.
Why is geliefert at the end of the first clause?
German main clauses are verb-second (V2). In the perfect tense, the finite auxiliary (hat) sits in second position, and the past participle (geliefert) goes to the end of the clause: Die Firma | hat | den falschen Artikel | geliefert.
Why is zurück at the end of the second clause?
zurückschicken is a separable verb. In a main clause, the finite part (schicke) stands in second position and the separable particle (zurück) goes to the end: ich | schicke | ihn sofort | zurück.
Is the semicolon correct here?
Yes. A semicolon can separate two closely related main clauses. It’s less common in everyday German than in English, but perfectly fine. Alternatives:
- Period: Die Firma hat … geliefert. Ich schicke … zurück.
- Comma + conjunction: …, und ich schicke … zurück. Note: After a semicolon, you do not capitalize the next word unless it’s normally capitalized; ich stays lowercase.
Could I just use a comma between the two main clauses without a conjunction?
No. In standard German you don’t join two independent main clauses with just a comma. Use a semicolon, a period, or add a coordinating conjunction (e.g., und, aber, oder, denn, sondern).
What are the subjects and objects in each clause?
- Clause 1: Subject = Die Firma; direct object = den falschen Artikel.
- Clause 2: Subject = ich; direct object = ihn (referring to Artikel).
Why does the adjective end with -en in den falschen Artikel?
After a definite article (den), adjectives take the weak ending. For masculine accusative singular, that ending is -en: den falschen Artikel.
Why is it hat and not ist geliefert?
Transitive verbs like liefern form the perfect with haben. sein is used mainly with intransitive verbs indicating movement or change of state (e.g., gehen, kommen, sterben).
Can I use the future tense: Ich werde ihn sofort zurückschicken?
Yes, but it’s not necessary. German often uses the present for near-future actions, especially with time adverbs like sofort. Ich werde ihn sofort zurückschicken emphasizes intention or certainty, but Ich schicke ihn sofort zurück is the most natural here.
What does Artikel mean here?
der Artikel can mean a merchandise item or a newspaper/grammar “article.” In this context it means an item/product. Context disambiguates the meaning.
How would this look in the passive voice?
- Simple past passive: Der falsche Artikel wurde geliefert; ich schicke ihn sofort zurück.
- Present perfect passive: Der falsche Artikel ist geliefert worden; … Passive shifts focus from the company to the item.
How do I mention the recipient I’m returning it to?
Two common options:
- Dative indirect object: Ich schicke der Firma den Artikel zurück.
- Prepositional phrase with an + accusative: Ich schicke den Artikel an die Firma zurück. With two pronouns, the usual order is dative before accusative: Ich schicke ihr ihn zurück.
Can I move sofort to another position?
Yes. sofort (time adverb) typically sits in the midfield: Ich schicke ihn sofort zurück. You can front it for emphasis: Sofort schicke ich ihn zurück. Avoid placing it after the separable particle: Ich schicke ihn zurück sofort sounds odd.
Are there synonyms for zurückschicken?
- zurücksenden: very close in meaning.
- zurückgeben: to return (often in person).
- retournieren: formal/commercial; common in Austria/Switzerland.
- Formal time adverbs: umgehend, unverzüglich instead of sofort.
Why is Firma feminine?
die Firma is a feminine noun; plural: die Firmen. Many nouns ending in -a (often of foreign origin) are feminine. Artikel is masculine; plural is identical to the singular form: die Artikel.
Could I say Die Firma lieferte den falschen Artikel?
Yes. That’s the simple past and is stylistically neutral to formal in writing. In everyday speech, hat geliefert is more common.
What if there were multiple wrong items?
Use the plural:
- Die Firma hat die falschen Artikel geliefert; ich schicke sie sofort zurück. Note the plural adjective ending -en and the plural pronoun sie.
Why isn’t it Ich schicke es sofort zurück if thing = it?
In German the pronoun must match the grammatical gender of the noun, not the idea of “it.” Artikel is masculine, so ihn is required. If the noun were neuter, e.g., das Paket, then Ich schicke es sofort zurück would be correct.
Could I write deshalb to link the clauses?
Yes. For cause-effect:
- Die Firma hat den falschen Artikel geliefert, deshalb schicke ich ihn sofort zurück. Note that deshalb is a sentence adverb that triggers verb-second: deshalb | schicke.