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From Naturschutzgebiet Hohes Venn: Löscharbeiten in Belgien - Brandgeruch in Köln, tagesschau.de, 18 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
The flames are said to be a good two kilometres away.
Word for word: The flames are further good two kilometres away.
Typical of news reporting: the speaker is passing on someone else's assessment that the flames are still about two kilometres away, without confirming it themselves.
The sentence uses the subjunctive one (Konjunktiv I) of sein, 'seien', which in reported speech signals that the speaker is relaying information from another source without vouching for it. The plural subject 'die Flammen' is in the nominative, and 'weiter' is a modal particle softening the claim.
Rules at work(3)
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seien
The subjunctive one of 'sein' marks the content as reported speech, distancing the speaker from the claim.
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? -
Die Flammen
The subject of the sentence stands in the nominative case.
The nominative marks the subject of the clause: whoever or whatever is doing the verb. It is also the case used after the verbs sein, werden and bleiben, so both sides of Das ist mein Bruder stand in the nominative.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
Die Flammen seien
The plural subject 'die Flammen' takes the plural subjunctive form 'seien'.
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(8)
- der
the
determinerA1definite
Appears twice: dative feminine 'der Wirtschaft' and nominative plural 'die Beschlüsse'.
- die Flamme
flame
nounB1pl. Flammengen. Flammemixed declension
- sein
to be
verbA1sein, war, ist gewesenmit seinirregular
Copula here linking subject to predicate noun.
- weiter
still, further, on
particleB1
As a modal particle here it means 'still'; as an adverb it means 'further'.
- gut
well, good
adverbA1degree
Before a number, 'gut' means 'a good', e.g. 'gut zwei Kilometer' = 'a good two kilometres'.
- zwei
two
numeralA1
- der Kilometer
kilometre
nounA1pl. Kilometergen. Kilometersstrong declension
Used without an article in measurements: 2,5 Kilometer lang.
- entfernt
distant, away
adjectiveB1entfernter, am entferntesten
In 'entfernt sein' it functions predicatively with no ending.