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From Vor Wahl in Sachsen-Anhalt: Klingbeil unterwegs auf schwierigem Terrain, tagesschau.de, 21 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
It is to receive 53 million euros in funding in order to provide for the region's drinking water supply, for example in the event of a drought. The finance ministry calls it the 'kick-off of the minister's investment tour'.
Word for word: 53 million euros funding shall it get, in order to about in the case of a drought-time for the drinking-water-supply of the region to provide. The finance-ministry names it the 'beginning of-the investment-tour' of-the minister.
News-style reporting: a body will receive €53m in subsidies to secure drinking water during droughts; the finance ministry frames this as the start of the minister's investment tour.
Two statements. The first uses a passive-like 'bekommen' construction with modal 'sollen' and verb-first-like fronting of the object; an um...zu purpose infinitive clause follows. The second is a simple main clause with accusative object and a genitive attribute chain.
Rules at work(9)
-
soll es bekommen
The finite modal soll stands in second position with the infinitive bekommen at the end, expressing a planned or reported future action.
The six modals können, müssen, dürfen, sollen, wollen and mögen say something about the main verb rather than naming an action. The modal is the finite verb in second position and the main verb goes to the end of the clause as an infinitive.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
53 Millionen Euro Förderung soll es bekommen
The fronted accusative phrase occupies first position, so the finite verb must come second.
In a German main clause the finite verb is always the second element. The first element can be the subject, but it can just as easily be a time expression, an object or a whole subordinate clause; whatever it is, it counts as one element and the verb follows it. This is why putting something other than the subject first pushes the subject after the verb.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
um etwa ... zu sorgen
Purpose is expressed by um + zu-infinitive at the end of the clause.
Um plus an infinitive with zu at the end expresses purpose. It works only where both clauses share a subject; where they do not, damit is used instead.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
für die Trinkwasserversorgung ... zu sorgen
sorgen governs the fixed preposition für with accusative.
Many verbs are tied to one preposition and one case, and the pairing rarely matches the English one. Warten auf takes the accusative, denken an takes the accusative, teilnehmen an takes the dative.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
einer Dürrezeit, der Region, des Ministers
Genitive attributes mark possession and the fixed phrase im Fall + genitive.
The genitive shows possession and follows a small set of prepositions. Masculine and neuter nouns add s or es. In speech it is often replaced by von plus the dative, but it is alive in writing and in fixed expressions.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
im Fall
in takes dative here because it expresses location within a case/situation.
An, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor and zwischen take the accusative when the phrase answers where to, and the dative when it answers where. The distinction is movement across a boundary against position, not motion against stillness.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
für die Trinkwasserversorgung
für always governs the accusative.
Durch, für, gegen, ohne and um always take the accusative, whatever they mean and whatever follows them.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
des Ministers
Minister is a weak noun adding -n in all oblique cases.
A group of masculine nouns takes an n or en in every case but the nominative singular: der Student but den Studenten, dem Studenten, des Studenten. Most denote people and many end in e, ent, ist or ant.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
Trinkwasserversorgung, Investitionstour, Finanzministerium
German chains nouns into compounds whose gender comes from the final element.
German builds long nouns by joining shorter ones. The last part carries the gender and the plural, and everything before it modifies what follows, so a compound is read from the right.
Does this rule belong on this sentence?
Words(25)
- die Million
million
nounA2pl. Millionengen. Millionmixed declension
Counted like a noun: zwei Millionen, not 'zwei Million'.
- der Euro
euro
nounA1pl. Eurogen. Eurostrong declension
The plural is identical to the singular: zehn Euro.
- die Förderung
funding, subsidy, promotion
nounB2pl. Förderungengen. Förderungmixed declension
- sollen
should, to be supposed to
verbA2sollen, sollte, gesolltmit habenmodal
In reporting, 'soll' signals that something is planned or claimed rather than fact.
- es
it
pronounA1personal
Often a dummy subject, as in es geht darum.
- bekommen
to get, to receive
verbA2bekommen, bekam, hat bekommenmit habenstrong
Often means simply 'to get/receive', not 'to become' — do not confuse with English 'become'.
- um
in order to
conjunctionA2subordinating
In 'um ... zu + infinitive' it introduces a purpose clause with no explicit subject.
- etwa
for example, roughly, perhaps
adverbB2modal
'Etwa' can mean 'approximately', 'perhaps', or here 'for example'; context decides.
- im
in the
prepositionA1governs dative
Fixed fusion of in + dem; the dative is built in.
- der Fall
case, instance, fall
nounB1pl. Fällegen. Fallesstrong declension
im Fall + genitive means 'in the event of'.
- ein
a, an, one
determinerA1indefinite
The form einer here is dative feminine singular, not the pronoun meaning 'one'.
- die Dürrezeit
period of drought
nounC1pl. Dürrezeitengen. Dürrezeitmixed declension
- für
for
prepositionA1governs accusative
Here für Dienstag names the day the forecast applies to, not a beneficiary.
- die
the
determinerA1definite
- die Trinkwasserversorgung
drinking water supply
nounC1pl. Trinkwasserversorgungengen. Trinkwasserversorgungmixed declension
- der
the
determinerA1definite
Appears twice: dative feminine 'der Wirtschaft' and nominative plural 'die Beschlüsse'.
- die Region
region
nounB1pl. Regionengen. Regionmixed declension
- zu
marker before infinitives
particleA1
Only certain verbs and expressions allow a zu-infinitive; it also exists as a preposition 'to'.
- sorgen
to provide for, to cause, to worry
verbB1sorgen, sorgte, hat gesorgtmit habenweaksorgen für + accusative
'sorgen für etwas' means 'to cause something', often something notable or negative; do not confuse with 'sich sorgen um' (to worry about).
- das
the
determinerA1definite
- das Finanzministerium
finance ministry
nounB2pl. Finanzministeriengen. Finanzministeriumsstrong declension
- nennen
name, call, mention
verbB1nennen, nannte, hat genanntmit habenmixedgoverns accusative and dative
Takes a double accusative (name someone something); 'nennen' is mixed (vowel change plus -te).
- der Auftakt
kick-off, opening, start
nounB2pl. Auftaktegen. Auftaktsstrong declension
- die Investitionstour
investment tour
nounC1pl. Investitionstourengen. Investitionstourmixed declension
- der Minister
minister
nounB1pl. Ministergen. Ministersweak declension