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From Robert Koch-Institut: Vier von zehn Erwachsenen schlafen zu wenig, tagesschau.de, 20 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
A study by the Robert Koch Institute, which was published in the 'Journal of Health Monitoring', shows this. International sleep recommendations define a sleep duration of less than seven hours in adults as too short.
Word for word: That shows a study of-the Robert Koch-Institute, which in-the 'Journal of Health Monitoring' published was. International sleep-recommendations define with adults a sleep-duration of less than seven hours as too short.
The text reports that a Robert Koch Institute study (published in the Journal of Health Monitoring) shows something previously mentioned, and states that international sleep guidelines consider under seven hours of sleep too short for adults. Typical of news or health-report register.
Two declarative main sentences. The first has a relative clause (die ... veröffentlicht wurde) modifying 'eine Untersuchung'; the relative pronoun 'die' is feminine nominative singular agreeing with 'Untersuchung', and the clause is passive (wurde veröffentlicht). The second sentence uses 'definieren ... als + adjective' (definieren + accusative object + als + predicative adjective) and the preposition 'bei' with dative ('bei Erwachsenen').
Rules at work(10)
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Das zeigt
The finite verb 'zeigt' occupies the second position of the main clause after the fronted pronoun 'das'.
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.
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die im "Journal of Health Monitoring" veröffentlicht wurde
A relative clause modifies 'Untersuchung'; the relative pronoun 'die' agrees with it in gender and number and the finite verb stands at the end of the clause.
A relative pronoun takes its gender and number from the noun it refers back to, and its case from the job it does inside the relative clause. The clause is verb-final and always separated by a comma.
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veröffentlicht wurde
In the relative clause the finite verb 'wurde' stands at the very end, after the participle.
In a subordinate clause the finite verb stands last. Where the clause also holds a participle or an infinitive, the finite verb goes after them, so the order at the end is participle then auxiliary.
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veröffentlicht wurde
The study was published by someone unspecified, so the passive with preterite 'wurde' plus past participle is used.
Werden plus a past participle. The agent, when it is mentioned at all, follows von for a person and durch for a means. In the perfect passive the participle of werden appears as worden rather than geworden.
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Schlafempfehlungen definieren
The plural subject 'Schlafempfehlungen' takes the plural verb form 'definieren'.
The finite verb takes an ending that matches its subject in person and number. The endings for regular verbs in the present are e, st, t, en, t, en.
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des Robert Koch-Instituts
The genitive marks the possessor: the study of the Robert Koch Institute.
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.
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bei Erwachsenen
'bei' always governs the dative, hence 'Erwachsenen' with its weak -n ending.
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.
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weniger als sieben Stunden
The comparative 'weniger' is paired with 'als' to express 'less than seven hours'.
German adds er and st rather than using more and most, however long the adjective. Many one syllable adjectives take an umlaut, and the superlative before a noun takes an ordinary adjective ending while a standalone one uses am plus sten.
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Schlafempfehlungen
The compound joins 'Schlaf' and 'Empfehlung' into one noun with feminine gender from the head noun.
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.
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Erwachsenen
The substantivised adjective 'der Erwachsene' is declined like an adjective, giving the weak dative plural -n.
An adjective can be capitalised and used as a noun, and it goes on taking adjective endings: der Alte, ein Alter, etwas Neues.
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Words(28)
- das
that, what
pronounA1demonstrative
Before a comma, das is usually a pronoun introducing a relative clause, not the article.
- zeigen
to show, to point
verbA2zeigen, zeigte, hat gezeigtmit habenweak
In 'sich zeigen + adjective' it means 'to appear/prove to be', not literally 'to show something'.
- ein
a, an, one
determinerA1indefinite
The form einer here is dative feminine singular, not the pronoun meaning 'one'.
- die Untersuchung
study, investigation, examination
nounB1pl. Untersuchungengen. Untersuchungmixed declension
- des
of the
determinerA1definite
- der Robert
Robert (name)
nounA1pl. Robertsgen. Robertsstrong declension
- das Koch-Institut
Koch Institute (German public health institute)
nounC1pl. Koch-Institutegen. Koch-Institutesstrong declension
- die
who, which, that
pronounA2relative
Demonstrative 'die' pointing back to a previously mentioned noun; stronger than plain 'sie'.
- im
in the
prepositionA1governs dative
Fixed fusion of in + dem; the dative is built in.
- das Journal
journal
nounB2pl. Journalegen. Journalsstrong declension
- of
of (English)
prepositionA1
- Health
health
nounA1
- Monitoring
monitoring
nounB2
- veröffentlichen
to publish
verbB1veröffentlichen, veröffentlichte, veröffentlicht hatmit habenweak
- werden
become, will (future auxiliary)
verbA2werden, wurde, ist gewordenmit habenirregular
Also the passive auxiliary; do not confuse with bekommen (= receive).
- international
international
adjectiveA2internationaler, am internationalsten
- die Schlafempfehlung
sleep recommendation
nounB2pl. Schlafempfehlungengen. Schlafempfehlungstrong declension
- definieren
to define
verbB2definieren, definierte, hat definiertmit habenweak
- bei
at, near, with
prepositionA2governs dative
'bei 42 Prozent' = 'at 42 percent', standard in poll reporting.
- der Erwachsene
adult
nounA2pl. Erwachsenegen. Erwachsenenadjectival declension
- die Schlafdauer
sleep duration, length of sleep
nounB2pl. Schlafdauerngen. Schlafdauerstrong declension
- von
from, of, by
prepositionA1governs dative
Used here to mark authorship, like 'by' in English credits.
- wenig
little, few
adverbA1degree
As a comparative it usually means 'less/fewer than'.
- als
as, than, when (past)
conjunctionA2correlative
here 'als Land' means 'as a country'; also used for comparisons and after 'als' in past-time clauses
- sieben
seven
numeralA1
- die Stunde
hour
nounA1pl. Stundengen. Stundemixed declension
- zu
marker before infinitives
particleA1
Only certain verbs and expressions allow a zu-infinitive; it also exists as a preposition 'to'.
- kurz
short, briefly, shortly
adjectiveA1kürzer, am kürzesten / kürzeste