Learn Hardcore German: Die Erschöpften liegen noch im Schlafsack, während die Fleißigen das Zelt abbauen. - The exhausted ones are still lying in their sleeping bags while the diligent ones take down the tent.

erschöpft = exhausted
→ die Erschöpften = the exhausted ones
fleißig = diligent / hard‑working
→ die Fleißigen = the diligent ones / the hard‑working ones

When an adjective is turned into a noun like this, German:

writes it with a capital letter
often adds an article (der, die, das) just like with normal nouns

So die Erschöpften and die Fleißigen are groups of people described by that quality.

Why do Erschöpften and Fleißigen end in -en and not -e?

They follow the normal adjective ending rules for the plural with a definite article.

Pattern for adjectives in the nominative plural with die is:

die guten Leute
die alten Häuser
die fleißigen Schüler

So the rule is:

definite article (die)
- adjective
  - -en in the plural, regardless of gender.

That’s why we get:

die Erschöpften
die Fleißigen

If it were singular, you’d see:

der Erschöpfte (masc. sg.)
die Erschöpfte (fem. sg.)
das Erschöpfte (neut. sg.)

The -en here signals plural with a definite article, not a different word type.

Is die Erschöpften singular or plural?

In this sentence it is plural: “the exhausted ones”.

Clues:

Meaning/context: we’re clearly talking about a group vs. another group.
Form:
- die can be feminine singular or plural, but
- the ending -en after die points strongly to plural in this kind of structure.

Singular forms would be:

der Erschöpfte = the exhausted (male) person
die Erschöpfte = the exhausted (female) person
das Erschöpfte = the exhausted thing/child/etc. (neuter)

What exactly does während do to the word order?

während is a subordinating conjunction (“while”). It introduces a subordinate clause, and in German that means:

The conjugated verb goes to the end of that clause.

So:

Main clause:
Die Fleißigen bauen das Zelt ab.
(verb in 2nd position, prefix separated)
With während
- subordinate clause:
  …, während die Fleißigen das Zelt abbauen.
  (conjugated verb at the end, prefix attached)

Structure of the second half:

während (subordinating conjunction)
die Fleißigen (subject)
das Zelt (object)
abbauen (conjugated verb at the end)

Why is it abbauen at the end and not bauen … ab?

Because abbauen is a separable-prefix verb:

Infinitive: abbauen (ab + bauen)
Main clause (present):
Die Fleißigen bauen das Zelt ab.
(prefix moves to the end)

But in subordinate clauses, the full verb form goes to the end and the prefix stays attached:

…, während die Fleißigen das Zelt abbauen.

So:

main clause → bauen … ab
subordinate clause → abbauen (one word at the very end)

What does im Schlafsack mean exactly, and why not in dem Schlafsack?

im is simply the contracted form of in dem:

in (in) + dem (the, dative singular) → im

So:

im Schlafsack = in dem Schlafsack = “in the sleeping bag”

The case:

in with a location (no movement) uses the dative case.
dem Schlafsack is dative singular (masculine noun: der Schlafsack → dem Schlafsack in dative).

Germans overwhelmingly prefer the contracted form in speech and writing:

im Schlafsack, im Auto, im Haus, etc.

Why is it im Schlafsack in the singular if there are several people?

German often uses a generic singular where English would naturally use a plural.

So im Schlafsack can imply:

“in their sleeping bags” (each in their own)
not literally that they all share one sleeping bag

To make the plural explicit, you could say:

in ihren Schlafsäcken = in their sleeping bags

But im Schlafsack is very natural and idiomatic here, especially in a descriptive or narrative style.

What does noch add to liegen noch im Schlafsack?

noch here means “still”:

liegen im Schlafsack = are lying in the sleeping bag
liegen noch im Schlafsack = are still lying in the sleeping bag

It implies:

they have been in the sleeping bag for some time
and haven’t stopped yet (in contrast to the others, who are already up and working)

Typical translation: “The exhausted ones are still lying in the sleeping bag …”

Which cases are used for die Erschöpften, im Schlafsack, and das Zelt, and why?

die Erschöpften → nominative plural
- It’s the subject of the first clause.
- They are doing the action of liegen.
im Schlafsack → dative singular
- Preposition in
  - location (no movement) = dative.
- Schlafsack is masculine:
  - nominative: der Schlafsack
  - dative: dem Schlafsack → contracted to im Schlafsack.
das Zelt → accusative singular
- It’s the direct object of abbauen (to take down/dismantle).
- For neuter nouns, nominative and accusative are both das, so form doesn’t change, but function is object.

How would the sentence change if I started with Während?

If you start the sentence with the während‑clause, you still keep subordinate‑clause word order (verb at the end), and the main clause follows:

Während die Fleißigen das Zelt abbauen, liegen die Erschöpften noch im Schlafsack.

Changes:

The order of information is reversed: you now start with what the diligent ones are doing.
Word order rules stay the same:
- subordinate clause: während … abbauen (verb at the end)
- main clause: liegen die Erschöpften … (verb in 2nd position)

Both versions are correct; it’s mainly a question of emphasis and flow.