Answer Question
Direct Object Word Order
German Level 4 Session 21
Exercise: Write the phrase you read (the numbers are my own)
1. We saw his friends(m) at the beach after the game.
Wir haben nach dem Spiel am Strand seine Freunde gesehen. FLUENZ ANSWER
Wir haben seine Freunde nach dem Spiel am Strand gesehen. MY ANSWER—NOT ACCEPTED BY FLUENZ
My question is why the direct object, seine Freunde, cannot go directly after the verb? I thought the TMP adverbs could follow the DO. Based on Fluenz not accepting my answer, I decided the DO must follow the adverbs. But see #3 below!!!
2. She bought gifts for us.
Sie hat Geschenke für uns gekauft. FLUENZ ANSWER
Sie hat für uns Geschenke gekauft. MY ANSWER—NOT ACCEPTED BY FLUENZ
Here I thought I’d apply the rule that I maybe learned from #1 above: put the DO as close to the infinitive verb as possible/load up the modifying phrases before the DO. However, Fluenz would not accept that approach. Is this all random? Or is there something about the “für uns” phrase that bumps the DO closer to the front of the sentence?
3. There is still one table there.
Es gibt dort noch einen Tisch. FLUENZ ANSWER
Es gibt noch dort einen Tisch. MY ANSWER—NOT ACCEPTED BY FLUENZ
By now I’m frantic! Okay, the DO wants to be at the end of the sentence, I guess, but why dort noch and not noch dort. Isn’t the rule TMP, in that order? Isn’t dort a place adverb, requiring it last? And isn’t noch a time adverb, requiring it first? What did I miss???
Woe is moi!!!
Exercise: Write the phrase you read (the numbers are my own)
1. We saw his friends(m) at the beach after the game.
Wir haben nach dem Spiel am Strand seine Freunde gesehen. FLUENZ ANSWER
Wir haben seine Freunde nach dem Spiel am Strand gesehen. MY ANSWER—NOT ACCEPTED BY FLUENZ
My question is why the direct object, seine Freunde, cannot go directly after the verb? I thought the TMP adverbs could follow the DO. Based on Fluenz not accepting my answer, I decided the DO must follow the adverbs. But see #3 below!!!
2. She bought gifts for us.
Sie hat Geschenke für uns gekauft. FLUENZ ANSWER
Sie hat für uns Geschenke gekauft. MY ANSWER—NOT ACCEPTED BY FLUENZ
Here I thought I’d apply the rule that I maybe learned from #1 above: put the DO as close to the infinitive verb as possible/load up the modifying phrases before the DO. However, Fluenz would not accept that approach. Is this all random? Or is there something about the “für uns” phrase that bumps the DO closer to the front of the sentence?
3. There is still one table there.
Es gibt dort noch einen Tisch. FLUENZ ANSWER
Es gibt noch dort einen Tisch. MY ANSWER—NOT ACCEPTED BY FLUENZ
By now I’m frantic! Okay, the DO wants to be at the end of the sentence, I guess, but why dort noch and not noch dort. Isn’t the rule TMP, in that order? Isn’t dort a place adverb, requiring it last? And isn’t noch a time adverb, requiring it first? What did I miss???
Woe is moi!!!