Breakdown of Nach dem Wochenende in der Jugendherberge verabschieden wir uns im Schlafsaal von den neuen Freunden.
Questions & Answers about Nach dem Wochenende in der Jugendherberge verabschieden wir uns im Schlafsaal von den neuen Freunden.
Because the preposition nach (when it means after) always takes the dative case.
- das Wochenende = nominative/accusative (neuter)
- dem Wochenende = dative (neuter)
Since nach needs dative, you must use dem, not das:
- Nach dem Wochenende = after the weekend (correct)
- Nach das Wochenende = incorrect
The preposition in can take dative or accusative, depending on the meaning:
- Dative = location, where something/someone is
- Accusative = direction, where something/someone is going
In the sentence, the action (saying goodbye) happens at the youth hostel, not moving into it. So we need dative:
- in der Jugendherberge = in the youth hostel (location → dative)
- in die Jugendherberge = into the youth hostel (movement → accusative)
Also, Jugendherberge is feminine:
- nominative: die Jugendherberge
- dative: der Jugendherberge → that is why we get in der Jugendherberge.
In this context, sich verabschieden (von + Dativ) is a reflexive verb that means to say goodbye (to someone).
- basic infinitive: sich verabschieden
- with object: sich von jemandem verabschieden = to say goodbye to someone
For wir, the reflexive pronoun is uns:
- wir verabschieden uns von den neuen Freunden
= we say goodbye to the new friends
So the structure is:
- subject: wir
- verb: verabschieden
- reflexive pronoun: uns
- prepositional object: von den neuen Freunden
Without the reflexive pronoun, the verb changes meaning or sounds wrong in this context. You normally do not say:
- wir verabschieden von den neuen Freunden ❌
Grammatically, jemanden verabschieden does exist, but the meaning and usage are different and more limited.
- jemanden verabschieden = to formally send someone off / see someone off
(for example, at an official ceremony, a reception, or a workplace)
In everyday speech, when you simply say goodbye to friends, Germans almost always use the reflexive version:
- Wir verabschieden uns von den neuen Freunden. ✅
= We say goodbye to the new friends.
Wir verabschieden die neuen Freunde.:
- sounds like you are hosting some kind of formal event where you are the ones officially seeing them off;
- in many everyday contexts it would sound odd or too formal.
So for normal, personal goodbyes, stick with sich verabschieden von + Dativ.
German main clauses follow the verb‑second (V2) rule:
- The conjugated verb must be in second position in the sentence.
- The entire phrase Nach dem Wochenende in der Jugendherberge counts as one element in the first position.
So:
- first position: Nach dem Wochenende in der Jugendherberge
- second position (must be the verb): verabschieden
- rest of the sentence: wir uns im Schlafsaal von den neuen Freunden
That gives:
- Nach dem Wochenende in der Jugendherberge verabschieden wir uns ...
If you start with Wir, the verb still has to be second:
- Wir verabschieden uns nach dem Wochenende in der Jugendherberge im Schlafsaal von den neuen Freunden.
Both orders are grammatically correct; the original just chooses to put the time/place information first for emphasis or style.
In a main clause with one conjugated verb, unstressed pronouns (like uns) usually stand right after the verb:
- verabschieden wir uns im Schlafsaal von den neuen Freunden
This is the most natural position:
- verb: verabschieden
- subject: wir
- reflexive pronoun: uns
Other positions are technically possible but sound marked or odd in normal speech:
- verabschieden wir im Schlafsaal uns von den neuen Freunden ❌ (unnatural)
As a rule of thumb in simple sentences:
- conjugated verb in second position
- personal/reflexive pronouns as early as possible after the verb
Just like with in der Jugendherberge, the key question is: location or movement?
- im Schlafsaal = in dem Schlafsaal → dative → in the dormitory (location)
- in den Schlafsaal → accusative → into the dormitory (movement)
In the sentence, they are already in the dormitory when they say goodbye, so it is location, thus dative:
- im Schlafsaal (dative, masculine: der Schlafsaal → dem Schlafsaal)
Two reasons:
- The preposition von always takes the dative case.
- Freunde here is plural, and the dative plural definite article is den.
So:
- nominative plural: die neuen Freunde
- dative plural: den neuen Freunden
Because von requires dative:
- von den neuen Freunden ✅
- von die neuen Freunde ❌
Also notice the -n ending on Freunden. In dative plural, almost all nouns add -n (if they don’t already end in -n or -s):
- die Freunde → den Freunden
- die Kinder → den Kindern
- die Leute → den Leuten
They are different cases of the same plural noun:
- Freunde = nominative plural or accusative plural
- Die Freunde kommen. (subject, nominative)
- Ich sehe die Freunde. (direct object, accusative)
- Freunden = dative plural
- Ich helfe den Freunden.
- Ich verabschiede mich von den neuen Freunden.
In the sentence, von requires the dative, so we get Freunden.
Yes, both are grammatically possible, but the usual and most natural order for German is often:
- time
- manner
- place
Within a cluster of prepositional phrases that belong together, Germans often go from more general to more specific. In this sentence:
- im Schlafsaal = the location where it occurs
- von den neuen Freunden = who you are saying goodbye to
So:
- ... verabschieden wir uns im Schlafsaal von den neuen Freunden. ✅
sounds very natural.
... verabschieden wir uns von den neuen Freunden im Schlafsaal. is still possible; it can put a bit more emphasis on the dormitory (as opposed to somewhere else).
A Jugendherberge is:
- a youth hostel, often part of an official youth hostel association,
- typically cheap, simple accommodation,
- with shared rooms (dormitories), especially for school groups, youth groups, backpackers.
It is not the same as a regular Hotel:
- Hotel: more private rooms, more comfort, more services.
- Jugendherberge: simpler, often with Schlafsäle (dormitories) and many young guests.
So Jugendherberge is best translated as youth hostel.
German often uses the present tense to talk about the future, especially when the time is clear from context or from a time expression like Nach dem Wochenende.
- Nach dem Wochenende verabschieden wir uns ...
literally: After the weekend we say goodbye ...
but in English you would usually say: After the weekend we will say goodbye ...
Both are natural in German; there is also a future tense:
- Nach dem Wochenende werden wir uns verabschieden ... (future tense)
However, Germans very often prefer the present tense + time expression instead of the future tense, so verabschieden in the present is perfectly normal here.