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 Zwei Tote, hohe Sachschäden: Schwere Unwetter in Teilen Deutschlands, tagesschau.de, 20 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
According to the authorities' statements, the incident occurred on the morning after the storm.
Word for word: The incident happened itself authorities'-statements according-to on the morning after the storm.
Reports that an incident took place, attributing the information to official sources; typical of news reporting.
A main clause with the reflexive verb 'sich ereignen' in the preterite. The verb is second because the sentence opens with the subject; the modal-like postposition phrase 'Behördenangaben zufolge' and the time expressions follow, with 'zufolge' governing the genitive.
Rules at work(6)
-
Der Vorfall ereignete sich
The finite verb 'ereignete' stands in second position after the subject phrase.
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? -
ereignete
Written narrative reports of events use the simple past rather than the perfect.
The simple past is the written narrative past. In speech it survives mainly in sein, haben and the modals, where hatte and war are far commoner than the perfect forms.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
ereignete sich
'Sich ereignen' is a reflexive verb whose accusative reflexive pronoun follows the verb.
A reflexive verb takes a pronoun pointing back at the subject. The pronoun is usually accusative, but it turns dative as soon as the verb has another direct object, which is why it is ich wasche mich but ich wasche mir die Hände.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
Behördenangaben zufolge
The postposition 'zufolge' governs the genitive of its noun phrase.
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? -
Der Vorfall ereignete
Third-person singular subject takes the preterite ending -ete.
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.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
nach dem Unwetter
'Nach' always takes the dative, hence 'dem Unwetter'.
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?
Words(11)
- der
the
determinerA1definite
Appears twice: dative feminine 'der Wirtschaft' and nominative plural 'die Beschlüsse'.
- der Vorfall
incident, occurrence
nounB1pl. Vorfällegen. Vorfallesstrong declension
- ereignen
to occur, to happen
verbB2ereignen, ereignete, ist ereignetmit seinweak
Almost always used reflexively as 'sich ereignen', mainly in formal or news style.
- sich
himself/herself/themselves, itself
pronounA2reflexive
Always refers back to the subject; here it is fixed to the verb 'sich mehren'.
- die Behördenangabe
statement by the authorities, official report
nounC1pl. Behördenangabengen. Behördenangabemixed declension
- zufolge
according to
prepositionB2governs genitive
Follows its noun phrase: 'den Angaben zufolge'; governs the dative.
- am
at the, on the
prepositionA1governs dative
Fixed contraction of 'an dem'; 'am Ende' means 'in the end/at the end'.
- der Morgen
morning
nounA1pl. Morgengen. Morgensstrong declension
- nach
after
prepositionA1governs dative
With places it means movement towards; here temporal 'after'.
- dem
the, to the
determinerA1definite
- das Unwetter
storm, severe weather
nounB1pl. Unwettergen. Unwettersstrong declension