Asking the model to read this sentence.
A sentence nobody has read before takes a minute or two, because it means asking a language model. Nothing is lost if you leave this page: the address keeps the result.
From Soziale Gerechtigkeit: Wie gerecht ist die deutsche Klimapolitik?, tagesschau.de, 17 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) stresses that, on the subject of the CO2 price, he is keeping social acceptance firmly in view.
Word for word: Federal-chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) stresses at-the topic CO2-price, the social acceptance 'thereby firmly in the view' to have.
Merz publicly emphasises that when dealing with the CO2 price policy he always keeps public/social acceptance of it firmly in mind. Typical of political news reporting.
A main clause with verb-second word order: betont is the finite verb in position two after the subject Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz. The object of betont is a complete infinitive clause with zu (die soziale Akzeptanz ... fest im Blick zu haben), which stands after the comma. Within that clause the finite verb haben appears in final position as a zu-infinitive. The separable verb im Blick haben is split by the zu-infinitive construction, which is why fest im Blick stands together before zu haben. Dabei is a da-compound referring back to the CO2 price. Akzeptanz is feminine and takes the accusative as direct object of haben; die soziale shows the weak adjective ending after the definite article.
Rules at work(8)
-
Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) betont
The finite verb betont occupies the second position after the subject phrase, as required in German main clauses.
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? -
die soziale Akzeptanz "dabei fest im Blick" zu haben
The reported content of betonen is expressed as an infinitive clause with zu before the final infinitive haben.
Many verbs, adjectives and nouns take an infinitive introduced by zu, which stands at the end of its clause. With a separable verb the zu goes between the prefix and the stem, giving aufzustehen.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
fest im Blick" zu haben
Im Blick haben behaves like a separable verb; in a zu-infinitive the particle group stays together and zu attaches before the infinitive.
Some verbs carry a prefix that detaches in a main clause and moves to the very end: aufstehen becomes Ich stehe um sieben auf. The prefix is stressed, which is what tells a separable prefix from an inseparable one. In a subordinate clause and in the infinitive the verb stays whole.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
die soziale Akzeptanz
Akzeptanz is the direct object of haben and therefore stands in the accusative.
The accusative marks the direct object: the thing the action is done to. Only the masculine changes visibly, from der to den and from ein to einen, which is why the masculine is where accusative errors show.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
beim Thema
Bei always governs the dative, hence beim Thema.
Aus, außer, bei, mit, nach, seit, von and zu always take the dative. Several of them contract with the article: von dem becomes vom, zu der becomes zur.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
beim Thema CO2-Preis
CO2-Preis is a genitive attribute specifying what the Thema concerns.
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? -
die soziale Akzeptanz
After the definite article die the adjective takes the weak ending -e.
After a definite article the adjective ending is e in the five nominative and accusative singular slots and en everywhere else, because the article has already shown the case and gender.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
dabei
Dabei refers back to the previously mentioned CO2 price issue.
Where a preposition would be followed by a pronoun standing for a thing rather than a person, German fuses the two: damit, darauf, davon. An r appears between them when the preposition begins with a vowel.
Does this rule belong on this sentence?
Words(17)
- der Bundeskanzler
federal chancellor, head of government of Germany
nounB1pl. Bundeskanzlergen. Bundeskanzlersweak declension
Like all German nouns it is capitalised; the female form is "Bundeskanzlerin".
- der Friedrich
Friedrich (male given name)
nounA2pl. Friedrichsgen. Friedrichsinvariable declension
- der Merz
Merz (surname)
nounC1pl. Merzesgen. Merzstrong declension
- die CDU
Christian Democratic Union
nounB1pl. CDU(s)gen. CDUinvariable declension
Feminine: die CDU.
- betonen
to emphasize, to stress
verbB1betonen, betonte, betontmit habenweak
- beim
at the, with regard to
prepositionA1governs dative
Contraction of 'bei dem'; used before nominalised verbs such as 'beim Fahrradfahren'.
- das Thema
topic, theme, subject
nounB1pl. Themengen. Themasmixed declension
n-noun: adds -en/-n in all cases except nominative singular.
- der CO2-Preis
CO2 price, carbon price
nounC1pl. CO2-Preisegen. CO2-Preisesmixed declension
- die
the
determinerA1definite
- sozial
social
adjectiveA2sozialer, am sozialsten
- die Akzeptanz
acceptance, public approval
nounB2pl. Akzeptanzengen. Akzeptanzinvariable declension
- dabei
thereby, in doing so, at the same time
adverbA2modal
Da-compound standing in for 'an/bei dem'; very common as a connector between sentences.
- fest
firm, fixed, firmly
adjectiveA2fester, am festesten
- im
in the
prepositionA1governs dative
Fixed fusion of in + dem; the dative is built in.
- der Blick
glance, look, view
nounB1pl. Blickegen. Blickesstrong declension
'Mit Blick auf + accusative' is a formal set phrase meaning 'with regard to'.
- zu
marker before infinitives
particleA1
Only certain verbs and expressions allow a zu-infinitive; it also exists as a preposition 'to'.
- haben
to have
verbA1haben, hatte, hat gehabtmit habenirregular
As an auxiliary it forms the perfect tenses of most verbs.