Learn Hardcore German: Wegen seiner Abwesenheit fragen wir, wer heute die Vertretung macht. - Because of his absence we are asking who is doing the substitution today.

German main clauses are verb‑second. Because Wegen seiner Abwesenheit is moved to the first position, the finite verb (fragen) must come second, so the subject (wir) comes after it: Wegen seiner Abwesenheit fragen wir … If you start with the subject, you get Wir fragen, …

What case does wegen take, and why is it seiner Abwesenheit?

Standard German uses the genitive after wegen, so this is genitive singular feminine: seiner Abwesenheit. In everyday speech, wegen + dative is common, but with feminine singular the genitive and dative forms look the same (seiner/der Abwesenheit), so you can’t see the difference. In careful writing, prefer the genitive.

What does seiner refer to? Does it agree with Abwesenheit?

The base of the possessive (sein‑ vs. ihr‑) agrees with the possessor (his/its vs. her/their), not with the noun. The ending agrees with the noun’s case/gender/number. Here, the possessor is male or neuter (sein‑), and the noun is feminine genitive singular, so you get seiner Abwesenheit. For a female possessor: ihrer Abwesenheit.

Why is it wer and not wen in wer heute die Vertretung macht?

Wer is nominative and serves as the subject of macht (“who is doing it”). Wen is accusative and would be used if it were the object (“whom”).

Why is the verb at the end in wer heute die Vertretung macht?

Because it’s an indirect question (a subordinate clause introduced by wer). In subordinate clauses, the finite verb goes to the end: … wer … macht. A direct question would be verb‑second: Wer macht heute die Vertretung?

Why is there a comma, and why does the sentence end with a period, not a question mark?

German requires a comma before subordinate clauses. The main clause here is a statement (“we ask …”), so the whole sentence ends with a period. If you used a direct question, you’d write: Wegen seiner Abwesenheit fragen wir: Wer macht heute die Vertretung?

Where can heute go? Is its position fixed?

It’s flexible. Common options:

… wer heute die Vertretung macht (neutral)
… wer die Vertretung heute macht (slight emphasis on “today”) You can also front it in the main clause: Heute fragen wir, wer … All are acceptable; word order mainly affects focus.

Is die Vertretung machen idiomatic?

Yes, it’s common in many workplaces (especially schools). More neutral/formal alternatives are die Vertretung übernehmen, einspringen, or the verb jemanden vertreten. For example: Wegen seiner Abwesenheit fragen wir, wer heute einspringt.

Does die Vertretung mean the act or the person?

Both, depending on context. Here it means the act of covering. If you want the person, you can say Wer ist heute die Vertretung? or Wer vertritt ihn heute?

Could I say Weil er abwesend ist, … instead of Wegen seiner Abwesenheit?

Yes. Weil er abwesend ist, fragen wir, wer … is fine. Wegen gives you a compact prepositional reason; weil gives a full clause. Register is similar; choose based on style and what you want to emphasize.

Can I drop the possessor and say Wegen Abwesenheit …?

In general notices/signed messages this is common (e.g., Wegen Abwesenheit geschlossen). In a specific workplace context, you normally specify whose absence it is, so wegen seiner/ihrer Abwesenheit is clearer.

Should it be wir fragen or wir fragen uns if I mean “we’re wondering”?

Wir fragen, … = we are asking (others), e.g., making inquiries.
Wir fragen uns, … = we wonder (we’re asking ourselves). You can also say Wir möchten wissen, … for “we would like to know …”.

Why the definite article in die Vertretung and not eine Vertretung?

With this collocation, German usually uses the definite article: die Vertretung übernehmen/machen. Eine Vertretung is possible when you mean “a (particular) replacement” as a countable entity, but for the routine act of covering a shift/duty, die Vertretung is standard.

What is the gender of Abwesenheit, and how does it decline?

Abwesenheit is feminine. Singular: nominative die Abwesenheit, genitive/dative der Abwesenheit. Plural exists (die Abwesenheiten) but is rare.

Could seiner also refer to a neuter possessor like das Kind?

Yes. sein‑ is used for masculine and neuter possessors. So Wegen seiner Abwesenheit … could refer to a boy or to a neuter noun like das Kind, depending on context.

Is there a more formal alternative to wegen?

Yes: aufgrund or infolge. For example, Aufgrund seiner Abwesenheit fragen wir, … sounds a bit more formal/official.

Can the preposition come after its complement, as in seiner Abwesenheit wegen?

Yes. Seiner Abwesenheit wegen is correct and somewhat more formal/literary. Meaning is unchanged.

Is tun possible here (… wer die Vertretung tut)?

No. Use machen, übernehmen, einspringen, or vertreten. Tun doesn’t collocate with Vertretung in standard usage.

How do tenses work if I put the main clause in the past?

German doesn’t require backshifting in indirect questions. If the substitution is for that same day, you’d say: Wegen seiner Abwesenheit fragten wir, wer heute die Vertretung macht. Use the tense that matches the real time of the subordinate action.