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 Rede über Zuwanderung: Steinmeier fordert Absage an völkische Ideologie, tagesschau.de, 25 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
Germany must be a country 'that refuses anyone who develops fantasies of ethnic exclusion', said Steinmeier in Berlin.
Word for word: Germany must a land be, that to-everyone a refusal grants, who fantasies of ethnic shutting-off develops, said Steinmeier in Berlin.
A news report of a speech: Steinmeier said Germany should be a country that turns away anyone who entertains fantasies of nationalist, ethnically closed-off isolation.
The sentence reports speech using Konjunktiv I (müsse, sagte frames it as indirect quotation). The main clause is verb-second with the finite verb sein at the end of the embedded first clause. Two relative clauses follow: 'das ... erteilt' modifies 'Land' with the neuter relative pronoun das, and 'der ... entwickelt' refers back to the indefinite pronoun 'jedem'. The idiom 'jemandem eine Absage erteilen' takes a dative person and accusative object.
Rules at work(6)
-
müsse
Indirect quotation of a speech uses Konjunktiv I instead of indicative to mark reported content.
Reported speech in journalism and formal writing. It is built from the infinitive stem, and where its form would be identical to the ordinary present, Konjunktiv II is used instead to keep the reporting visible.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
das jedem eine Absage erteilt
Both relative clauses are subordinate and place their finite verbs at the end.
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.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
das ... erteilt, der ... entwickelt
Two relative clauses modify Land and jedem respectively, with pronouns matching gender, number and case.
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.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
jedem
The person turned down appears in the dative with erteilen (jemandem eine Absage erteilen).
The dative marks the indirect object, usually the person something is given, said or shown to. A number of common verbs take a dative object where English would use a direct one, and several prepositions always take it.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
sagte Steinmeier in Berlin
In the reporting main clause the finite verb occupies second position after the fronted quote.
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? -
müsse ... sagte ... erteilt ... entwickelt
Each finite verb agrees in person and number with its subject.
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?
Words(20)
- das Deutschland
Germany
nounA1pl. —gen. Deutschlandsinvariable declension
- müssen
must, to have to
verbA1müssen, musste, hat gemusstmit habenmodal
The dependent infinitive goes to the end of the clause.
- ein
a, an, one
determinerA1indefinite
The form einer here is dative feminine singular, not the pronoun meaning 'one'.
- das Land
country, land, state
nounA1pl. Ländergen. Landesstrong declension
Here 'the country/region' in the sense of its economy.
- sein
to be
verbA1sein, war, ist gewesenmit seinirregular
Copula here linking subject to predicate noun.
- das
that, what
pronounA1demonstrative
Before a comma, das is usually a pronoun introducing a relative clause, not the article.
- jeder
everyone, each one, everybody
pronounB1indefinite
Declines like the definite article; here dative singular jedem meaning 'to everyone'.
- eine
a, an
determinerA1indefinite
- die Absage
refusal, rejection, cancellation
nounB2pl. Absagengen. Absagemixed declension
Fixed in the idiom jemandem eine Absage erteilen = to turn someone down.
- erteilen
to grant, to give (formally)
verbB2erteilen, erteilte, hat erteiltmit habenweakgoverns dative
Formal verb used with eine Absage/eine Erlaubnis; takes dative person plus accusative thing.
- der
who, which
pronounA1relative
- die Phantasie
fantasy, imagination
nounB2pl. Phantasiengen. Phantasiemixed declension
- von
from, of, by
prepositionA1governs dative
Used here to mark authorship, like 'by' in English credits.
- völkisch
ethno-nationalist, ethnic-national, völkisch
adjectiveC2-, -
Historically loaded term tied to racist ideology; not a neutral word for 'ethnic'.
- die Abschottung
sealing off, isolation, exclusion
nounC1pl. Abschottungengen. Abschottungmixed declension
- entwickeln
to develop, to evolve
verbB1entwickeln, entwickelte, hat entwickeltmit habenweak
- sagen
to say, to tell
verbA1sagen, sagte, hat gesagtmit habenweak
- der Steinmeier
Steinmeier (German surname)
nounC1pl. Steinmeiersgen. Steinmeiersinvariable declension
- in
in, into
prepositionA1governs accusative or dative
Dative for location, accusative for direction.
- das Berlin
Berlin
nounA1pl. —gen. Berlinsinvariable declension