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Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist, zeigt mir, dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben, wenn es schwer ist.

Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist, zeigt mir, dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben, wenn es schwer ist.
Everything that is good for our friendship shows me that we stick together and do not give up when it is hard.
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Questions & Answers about Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist, zeigt mir, dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben, wenn es schwer ist.

Why is there a comma after Alles and what kind of clause is was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist?

Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist, ...

  • Alles is the subject of the main clause.
  • was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist is a relative clause that describes Alles.

In German, a relative clause is separated by commas and usually begins with a relative pronoun (der, die, das, was, wer etc.) and sends the verb to the end:

  • was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist
    → relative pronoun (was) + rest of the clause + verb at the end (ist)

So the structure is:

  • Subject (with attached relative clause) → Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist,
  • Verb in 2nd position → zeigt
  • Indirect object → mir
  • Object clause → dass wir zusammenhalten ...
Why is was used after Alles and not das or die Sache, die ...?

After indefinite pronouns like alles, nichts, etwas, vieles etc., German normally uses was as the relative pronoun:

  • alles, was ... (everything that ...)
  • nichts, was ... (nothing that ...)
  • etwas, was ... (something that ...)

Using das here would sound wrong:
✗ Alles, das gut für unsere Freundschaft ist

So:
Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist = Everything that is good for our friendship

What case is was in was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist and why?

In was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist, the clause is:

  • was = subject
  • ist = verb
  • gut für unsere Freundschaft = predicate/adjectival phrase

So was is in the nominative case because it is the subject of the verb ist.

If was were an object in the clause, it could be accusative, but here it does the action (or rather, it is something), so nominative is correct.

Why is it für unsere Freundschaft and not some other preposition or case?

für in German always takes the accusative case.

  • für
    • accusative → für unsere Freundschaft

Here:

  • unsere is the accusative feminine singular form of unser (our).
  • Freundschaft is a feminine noun, so in accusative singular it looks the same as nominative: Freundschaft.

So grammatically:

  • Freundschaft = feminine
  • für → accusative
  • unsere Freundschaft = accusative object of für

Meaning-wise, für expresses benefit / advantage / in favor of:

  • gut für unsere Freundschaft = good for our friendship
Why is it zeigt mir and not zeigt mich?

The verb here is jemandem etwas zeigen (to show someone something):

  • jemandem = dative (the person who receives the information)
  • etwas = accusative (the thing being shown)

In the sentence:

  • Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist = the thing being shown → accusative object
  • mir = the person to whom it is shown → dative object

So we need:

  • zeigt mir (shows me / shows to me), not:
  • ✗ zeigt mich (that would mean: shows me as the thing being shown)

Structure:

  • Subjekt: Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist
  • Dativobjekt: mir
  • Akkusativobjekt / dass-Satz: dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben ...
Why does the verb ist go to the end in was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist and wenn es schwer ist?

Because both are subordinate clauses:

  1. was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist → relative clause
  2. wenn es schwer ist → wenn-clause (a type of subordinate clause)

In German, in subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like dass, weil, wenn, obwohl, als and in relative clauses, the finite verb goes to the end:

  • was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist
  • dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben
  • wenn es schwer ist

In contrast, in main clauses the verb is in 2nd position:

  • Alles, ... zeigt mir, ...
    → zeigt is in 2nd position (the whole Alles, was gut ... ist counts as position 1).
Why is the conjunction dass used here, and what does it do to the word order?

dass introduces a content clause (a clause that functions like a noun phrase, similar to English that ...):

  • zeigt mir, dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben ...
    = shows me that we stick together and do not give up ...

Two things:

  1. Function:
    The dass-clause is what is being shown to mir. It is the object of zeigt.

  2. Word order:
    In a dass-clause, the finite verb goes to the end:

    • Main clause: Wir halten zusammen. Wir geben nicht auf.
    • Dass-clause: dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben

So dass turns a normal main clause word order into subordinate clause word order.

Why is zusammenhalten written as one word here, and how does its word order change in a main clause?

zusammenhalten is a separable prefix verb:

  • infinitive: zusammenhalten (to stick together)
  • prefix: zusammen (separable)
  • main verb: halten

Rules:

  • In main clauses, the prefix separates and usually goes to the end:

    • Wir halten zusammen. (We stick together.)

  • In subordinate clauses, the parts stay together at the end:

    • dass wir zusammenhalten (that we stick together)

In the sentence, zusammenhalten appears inside a dass-clause, so it must stay together and go to the end:

  • dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben
Why is it nicht aufgeben and not geben nicht auf?

aufgeben is also a separable prefix verb:

  • infinitive: aufgeben (to give up)
  • main clause: Wir geben nicht auf.
    → geben in 2nd position, auf at the end.

But in a subordinate clause (like a dass-clause), the finite verb moves to the end and the prefix re-attaches:

  • Main clause: Wir geben nicht auf.
  • Dass-clause: dass wir nicht aufgeben

In the sentence, aufgeben is coordinated with zusammenhalten:

  • dass wir zusammenhalten und nicht aufgeben

Both verbs are in their united, infinitive-like form at the end of the subordinate structure.

What exactly does zusammenhalten mean compared to zusammenbleiben?

Both sound similar in English (to stay together), but they have different nuances:

  • zusammenhalten

    • literally: to hold together
    • metaphorical meaning: to support each other, stand by each other, show solidarity
    • emotional, about loyalty and unity, especially in difficult times.

  • zusammenbleiben

    • literally: to stay together
    • more neutral, can simply mean not separating (e.g. as a couple, a group, at a location).

In this sentence, zusammenhalten fits better because it’s about support and solidarity in hard times, not just physically staying together.

In wenn es schwer ist, does wenn mean when or if, and why wenn and not als?

wenn can mean when(ever) or if, depending on context.

  • With a general or repeated situation:

    • wenn es schwer ist = when / whenever it is hard (in general)

  • With a single event in the past, German normally uses als, not wenn:

    • als es schwer war = when it was hard (that one time in the past)

In this sentence the meaning is general:

  • ... und nicht aufgeben, wenn es schwer ist.
    → ... and not give up when it is hard / when things are difficult.

So wenn is correct because it describes a general condition in which we should not give up.

Why schwer and not schwierig or hart here? Are they interchangeable?

All can express difficulty, but they have slightly different usual uses:

  • schwer

    • broad meaning: heavy / hard / difficult
    • can refer to emotional or general difficulty:
      Es ist schwer für mich. (It is hard for me.)

  • schwierig

    • more like complicated / tricky
    • often used for tasks, problems, situations that are complex:
      Die Aufgabe ist schwierig. (The task is difficult/complicated.)

  • hart

    • literally: hard (physical hardness)
    • figuratively: tough, harsh (e.g. ein hartes Leben, harte Zeiten)

In wenn es schwer ist, schwer nicely captures emotionally or generally hard.
wenn es schwierig ist would lean more towards when it is complicated, and wenn es hart ist would sound more like when it is tough / harsh, which is possible but has a slightly different flavor.

Could we say Es zeigt mir alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist instead? How does the word order change the meaning or emphasis?

Original:

  • Alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist, zeigt mir, dass ...

Here, Alles, was gut ... ist is the subject and is strongly emphasized by being at the beginning.

Alternative:

  • Es zeigt mir alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist.

This sentence is grammatically correct, but it has:

  • Es as a dummy subject.
  • alles, was gut für unsere Freundschaft ist as the accusative object.

Differences:

  • Original:
    Focus on Everything that is good for our friendship as the active subject that shows something to me.
  • Alternative:
    More neutral; Es is vague, and alles, was ... is just the thing being shown.

In your original sentence, the structure highlights everything that is good for our friendship as the central idea, which fits the emotional, reflective tone.