Was auch immer passiert, wir schaffen das.

Whatever happens, we will manage it.

Breakdown of Was auch immer passiert, wir schaffen das.

• wir: we
• schaffen: to manage
• das: it
• passieren: to happen
• was auch immer: whatever

Questions & Answers about Was auch immer passiert, wir schaffen das.

Why is the verb passiert at the end of Was auch immer passiert?

Because this is a dependent (subordinate) clause. In German subordinate clauses, the finite verb goes to the end. Here, was auch immer introduces a free relative/concessive clause (“no matter what”), so passiert is placed last. The subject of the clause is was, so the verb is third-person singular: passiert.

Is the present tense passiert really talking about the future here?

Yes. German often uses the simple present to talk about the future when the timeframe is clear from context. You could say Was auch immer passieren wird, but Was auch immer passiert is more idiomatic and concise.

Can I say Was auch passiert or Was immer passiert instead of Was auch immer passiert?

• Was auch passiert: fully acceptable, a bit tighter; slightly more formal-sounding to some ears.
• Was immer passiert: possible, but can sound a bit old-fashioned or regional; less common in everyday speech.
• Was auch immer passiert: the most neutral and widely used. A very colloquial alternative is Egal, was passiert.

Can I flip the order: Wir schaffen das, was auch immer passiert?

Avoid this. Placing was auch immer passiert after das turns it into a relative clause modifying das (“We will manage that which happens”), which is not the intended concessive meaning. If you want the concessive clause second, use punctuation to set it off: Wir schaffen das – egal, was passiert.

Why is there a comma after passiert?

German requires a comma between a subordinate clause and the main clause. Here, Was auch immer passiert is the subordinate clause, and wir schaffen das is the main clause, so the comma is mandatory.

Why das in Wir schaffen das and not es? Are both correct?

Both are correct:

• Wir schaffen das emphasizes a specific situation or challenge (“that thing we’re facing”) and sounds a bit more emphatic and slogan-like.
• Wir schaffen es is slightly more neutral. In everyday speech, das is very common here.

Is it das or dass in Wir schaffen das?

It’s das (demonstrative pronoun). Dass is a conjunction used to introduce a content clause (e.g., Ich glaube, dass…). Here, you’re pointing to a situation, so you need das.

What exactly does schaffen mean here? Doesn’t schaffen also mean “to create”?

Yes, schaffen has two main meanings:

• “to manage/achieve/accomplish” (the meaning here): Wir schaffen das = “We’ll manage it / We can do it.”
• “to create” (often in artistic contexts): Der Künstler schafft ein Werk. In this sentence, only the “manage/accomplish” meaning fits. For unambiguous “create,” German often uses erschaffen.

Could I use geschehen or other verbs instead of passieren?

Yes, with register nuances:

• Was auch immer geschieht: more formal/literary.
• Was auch kommen mag: stylistic/poetic, with a “may come” flavor.
• Egal, was passiert: colloquial and very common. All convey the same basic idea.

What does auch contribute in auch immer?

In patterns like wer/was/wo/wann … auch immer, auch is part of an idiomatic intensifier meaning “ever.” So was auch immer = “whatever,” wer auch immer = “whoever,” etc. Without auch, the “ever” meaning is weaker or can sound archaic.

Is there any political connotation to Wir schaffen das?

In Germany, Wir schaffen das became widely associated with Angela Merkel during the 2015 refugee crisis. In neutral contexts, it still simply means “We’ll manage it,” but depending on audience and context, some people may hear that association.

How would I pronounce the tricky bits?

• sch in schaffen = English “sh.”
• ch in auch = a voiceless velar fricative (like clearing the throat softly).
• ie in passiert = long “ee.”
• Final -t in passiert is pronounced.
• Natural stress: light on the concessive clause, main stress on schaffen or das: Was auch immer passiert, WIR schaffen DAS.

Is passiert here the same form as the past participle?

The spelling is the same, but the function is different:

• In the sentence, passiert = 3rd person singular present (“happens”).
• The past participle is also passiert, but in the perfect you’ll see the auxiliary: ist passiert (“has happened”).

Are there natural alternatives to Wir schaffen das?

Yes, with slight nuances:

• Wir schaffen das schon. (reassuring, “we’ll manage for sure.”)
• Das kriegen wir hin. (colloquial, “we’ll get it done.”)
• Wir packen das. (colloquial, energetic.)
• Wir werden das schaffen. (explicit future; a bit more formal or predictive.)

Can I contract Wir schaffen es to Wir schaffen’s?

Yes, colloquially you can write Wir schaffen’s, with an apostrophe replacing e in es. Don’t write Wir schaffens (that’s incorrect).