C1statement52 words8 rules

Third sentence of Neuer Vorstoß auf EU-Ebene: Klingbeil fordert Übergewinnsteuer für Ölkonzerne, tagesschau.de, 22 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.

Underline shows

Meaning

In view of the persistently high fuel prices at the petrol stations, Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil is campaigning for a windfall tax on oil companies. "We must tackle the problem of high energy prices by discussing an EU-wide framework for taxing windfall profits," demand Klingbeil and five European colleagues in a letter.

Word for word: In-view-of the still high fuel-prices at the petrol-stations makes himself Federal-Finance-Minister Lars Klingbeil for a windfall-profit-tax for oil-companies strong. We must the problem of-the high energy-prices tackle, while we an EU-wide framework to-the taxation of windfall-profits discuss, demand Klingbeil and five European colleagues in a letter.

A news report: Germany's finance minister, together with five European counterparts, publicly calls for an EU-wide tax on the windfall profits of oil companies in response to high fuel prices.

The first clause uses the fixed expression 'sich für etwas stark machen' (to campaign for something); 'Angesichts' governs the genitive and fronts the phrase, so the finite verb 'macht' stays in second position. The quoted sentence has a modal verb plus infinitive ('müssen ... angehen') and an 'indem'-clause with verb-final word order. The reporting clause 'fordern Klingbeil und fünf europäische Kollegen' follows the quotation with verb-first order.

Rules at work(8)

Words(39)

angesichts
in view of, given

prepositionC1governs genitive

Formal written preposition; always followed by the genitive.
der
the

determinerA1definite

Appears twice: dative feminine 'der Wirtschaft' and nominative plural 'die Beschlüsse'.
weiterhin
continuing, still, furthermore

adverbB1temporal
hoch
high, tall

adjectiveA1höher, am höchsten

Irregular comparative höher.
der Spritpreis
fuel price, petrol price

nounB1pl. Spritpreisegen. Spritpreisesstrong declension
an
on, at, by

prepositionA1governs accusative or dative

Dative for points in time and location (am Montag), accusative for direction.
die Tankstelle
petrol station, gas station

nounA2pl. Tankstellengen. Tankstelleweak declension
machen
to make, to do

verbA1machen, machte, hat gemachtmit habenweak

Part of many fixed expressions such as 'sich auf etwas gefasst machen'.
sich
himself/herself/themselves, itself

pronounA2reflexive

Always refers back to the subject; here it is fixed to the verb 'sich mehren'.
der Bundesfinanzminister
Federal Finance Minister

nounC1pl. Bundesfinanzministergen. Bundesfinanzministersstrong declension
der Lars
Lars (given name)

nounA2pl. Larsegen. Larsstrong declension
der Klingbeil
Klingbeil (surname)

nounC1gen. Klingbeilsstrong declension
für
for

prepositionA1governs accusative

Here für Dienstag names the day the forecast applies to, not a beneficiary.
eine
a, an

determinerA1indefinite
die Übergewinnsteuer
excess-profits tax, windfall-profits tax

nounC2pl. Übergewinnsteuerngen. Übergewinnsteuerstrong declension

Technical term from tax and financial journalism.
der Ölkonzern
oil corporation, oil company

nounB2pl. Ölkonzernegen. Ölkonzernsstrong declension
stark
strong(ly), firmly

particleA1
wir
we

pronounA1personal
müssen
must, to have to

verbA1müssen, musste, hat gemusstmit habenmodal

The dependent infinitive goes to the end of the clause.
das
the

determinerA1definite
das Problem
problem

nounA2pl. Problemegen. Problemsstrong declension
der Energiepreis
energy price

nounB1pl. Energiepreisegen. Energiepreisesstrong declension
angehen
to tackle, to address, to concern

verbB2angehen, ging an, ist angegangenmit habenseparableirregular

Separable in main clauses ('geht ... an'), inseparable spelling as an infinitive after modals.
indem
by (doing), while

conjunctionB2subordinating

Introduces a means clause with verb-final word order; not interchangeable with 'wenn'.
ein
a, an, one

determinerA1indefinite

The form einer here is dative feminine singular, not the pronoun meaning 'one'.
EU-weit
EU-wide, Europe-wide

adjectiveB1
das Rahmenwerk
framework

nounC1pl. Rahmenwerkegen. Rahmenwerksstrong declension
zu
to, at, too

prepositionA1governs dative

With verbs of movement it takes dative even though motion is involved.
die Besteuerung
taxation

nounC1pl. Besteuerungengen. Besteuerungstrong declension
von
from, of, by

prepositionA1governs dative

Used here to mark authorship, like 'by' in English credits.
der Zufallsgewinn
windfall profit

nounC2pl. Zufallsgewinnegen. Zufallsgewinnsstrong declension
diskutieren
to discuss

verbA2diskutieren, diskutierte, hat diskutiertmit habenweak
fordern
to demand, to call for

verbB1fordern, forderte, hat gefordertmit habenweak

Do not confuse with fördern (to promote).
und
and

conjunctionA1coordinating
fünf
five

numeralA1
europäisch
European

adjectiveA2
der Kollege
colleague

nounA2pl. Kollegengen. Kollegenweak declension

A weak (n-declension) noun: it adds -n/-en in every case except nominative singular.
in
in, into

prepositionA1governs accusative or dative

Dative for location, accusative for direction.
das Schreiben
letter, written communication

nounB2pl. Schreibengen. Schreibensstrong declension

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