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 Nach Vorstoß aus der SPD: Amthor gegen Grundgesetzänderung für Klimaanpassung, tagesschau.de, 17 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
These funds could be used not only within the scope of federal responsibilities, but also, for example with regard to the states' share of 100 billion euros, flexibly even today. Amthor emphasised that in the overall discussion it should not be forgotten that the federal government is already channelling considerable funds into the field through existing funding programmes.
Word for word: These funds could not only in-the framework of-the federal-responsibilities, but for-instance in-the view on the states'-share of 100 billion euro also already today flexibly used become. Amthor stressed, in the overall-discussion should not forgotten become, that the federal-government already today considerable funds over existing funding-programmes into the area gives.
A politician argues that federal money could already be spent flexibly now, especially the states' share of a 100-billion-euro package, and stresses that the federal government already provides substantial funding via existing programmes.
The first sentence is a passive construction ('genutzt werden') with a modal verb in Konjunktiv II ('könnten'), expressing a possibility. The correlative 'nicht nur … sondern … auch' links two prepositional phrases. The second sentence contains a reported-speech Konjunktiv I ('vergebe') inside a 'dass'-clause, and a passive infinitive chain 'sollte … vergessen werden' where 'sollte' functions as reported speech.
Rules at work(14)
-
könnten
The modal 'können' appears in its Konjunktiv II form to express a hypothetical possibility rather than a fact.
The form for the hypothetical, the unreal and the polite. Wäre, hätte and the modals have their own forms; most other verbs use würde plus an infinitive.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
vergebe
After the reporting verb 'betonte', the present tense of 'vergeben' appears as Konjunktiv I to mark indirect speech.
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? -
genutzt werden
The process is presented from the perspective of the funds, so the passive with 'werden' is used under the modal 'könnten'.
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.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
dass der Bund schon heute beträchtliche Finanzmittel über bestehende Förderprogramme in die Fläche vergebe
The finite verb 'vergebe' stands at the very end of the 'dass'-clause.
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? -
nicht nur
'nicht nur … sondern … auch' is a correlative pair linking two parallel prepositional phrases.
Entweder oder, sowohl als auch, weder noch, nicht nur sondern auch and je desto come in two parts. Weder noch negates by itself, and je desto sends the verb to the end of the je clause.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
sondern
'sondern' coordinates the two phrases after the negative 'nicht nur'.
Und, aber, oder, denn and sondern join two main clauses and do not count as an element, so the word order after them is unchanged and the verb stays in second position.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
dass
'dass' introduces the content clause dependent on 'betonte' and 'sollte nicht vergessen werden'.
Weil, dass, wenn, als, ob, obwohl, damit, nachdem, bevor and the rest introduce a subordinate clause and send its finite verb to the very end.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
der Bundeszuständigkeiten
The genitive marks what the scope ('Rahmen') relates to.
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? -
von 100 Milliarden Euro
'von' always governs the dative, seen in 'Milliarden'.
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? -
auf den Länderanteil
'auf' in the fixed phrase 'im Hinblick auf' takes the accusative.
Durch, für, gegen, ohne and um always take the accusative, whatever they mean and whatever follows them.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
in die Fläche
'in' takes the accusative here because movement/direction into an area is meant, contrasting with dative 'im Rahmen'.
An, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor and zwischen take the accusative when the phrase answers where to, and the dative when it answers where. The distinction is movement across a boundary against position, not motion against stillness.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
bestehende Förderprogramme
The present participle of 'bestehen' modifies 'Förderprogramme' attributively with a strong adjective ending.
Both participles can stand before a noun and take ordinary adjective endings. The past participle is passive in sense, the present participle active: das gekochte Ei against das kochende Wasser.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
beträchtliche Finanzmittel
With no article before a plural noun, the adjective takes the strong ending '-e'.
With no article in front of it the adjective has to carry the case marking itself, so it takes the endings the definite article would have had, with the exception of the masculine and neuter genitive singular.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
Bundeszuständigkeiten, Länderanteil, Gesamtdiskussion, Finanzmittel, Förderprogramme
Several nouns are compounds whose gender comes from the final element.
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.
Does this rule belong on this sentence?
Words(38)
- dies
this, that
determinerA1demonstrative
- das Mittel
means, funds, remedy, agent
nounB2pl. Mittelgen. Mittelsstrong declension
Das Mittel (singular) = a means or a medicine; die Mittel (plural) = funds/resources, which is the sense here.
- können
can, be able to, may, might (as könnte)
verbA1können, konnte, hat gekonntmit habenmodal
könnte is the Konjunktiv II and softens a claim into a possibility.
- nicht
not
adverbA1negation
Negates single words or phrases directly before them; sentence negation places it later.
- nur
only, just
particleA1
- in
in, into
prepositionA1governs accusative or dative
Dative for location, accusative for direction.
- der Rahmen
frame, context
nounB1pl. Rahmengen. Rahmensweak declension
Almost always met in the fixed phrase 'im Rahmen von' = within the scope of.
- der
the
determinerA1definite
Appears twice: dative feminine 'der Wirtschaft' and nominative plural 'die Beschlüsse'.
- die Bundeszuständigkeit
federal responsibility
nounC1pl. Bundeszuständigkeitengen. Bundeszuständigkeitmixed declension
- sondern
but rather
conjunctionA2coordinating
Used only after a negation to introduce the correct alternative.
- etwa
for example, roughly, perhaps
adverbB2modal
'Etwa' can mean 'approximately', 'perhaps', or here 'for example'; context decides.
- der Hinblick
regard, view
nounC1pl. Hinblickegen. Hinblicksstrong declension
- auf
on, onto
prepositionA1governs accusative or dative
Location takes the dative, movement towards the accusative.
- der Länderanteil
share of the federal states
nounC1pl. Länderanteilegen. Länderanteilsstrong declension
- von
from, of, by
prepositionA1governs dative
Used here to mark authorship, like 'by' in English credits.
- 100
hundred
numeralA1
- die Milliarde
billion
nounB1pl. Milliardengen. Milliardemixed declension
German 'Milliarde' = English billion (10^9), not milliard confusion.
- der Euro
euro
nounA1pl. Eurogen. Eurostrong declension
The plural is identical to the singular: zehn Euro.
- auch
also, too
adverbA1modal
Focus particle; here it means the ministers are included among others already named.
- schon
already, already now
adverbA1temporal
In other contexts schon is also a modal particle adding reassurance or emphasis.
- heute
today
adverbA1temporal
- flexibel
flexible
adjectiveB1flexibler, am flexibelsten
- nutzen
to use, to make use of
verbA2nutzen, nutzte, hat genutztmit habenweakgoverns accusative
- werden
become, will (future auxiliary)
verbA2werden, wurde, ist gewordenmit habenirregular
Also the passive auxiliary; do not confuse with bekommen (= receive).
- der Amthor
Amthor (a surname)
nounC2pl. Amthorsgen. Amthorsinvariable declension
- betonen
to emphasize, to stress
verbB1betonen, betonte, betontmit habenweak
- die Gesamtdiskussion
overall discussion
nounC1pl. Gesamtdiskussionengen. Gesamtdiskussionmixed declension
- sollen
should, to be supposed to
verbA2sollen, sollte, gesolltmit habenmodal
In reporting, 'soll' signals that something is planned or claimed rather than fact.
- vergessen
to forget
verbA1vergessen, vergaß, hat vergessenmit habenmixedgoverns accusative
- dass
that
conjunctionA2subordinating
Always sends the finite verb to the end of the clause.
- der Bund
federation, the federal state (Germany)
nounB1pl. Bündegen. Bundesmixed declension
In German politics 'der Bund' means the federal level of government.
- beträchtlich
considerable, substantial
adjectiveC1beträchtlicher, am beträchtlichsten
- das Finanzmittel
funds, financial resources
nounB2pl. Finanzmittelgen. Finanzmittelsstrong declension
- über
over, above, about, via, by way of
prepositionA1governs accusative or dative
Accusative with movement or route, as here ('via the programme'); dative for static location.
- das Förderprogramm
funding programme, support programme
nounB2pl. Förderprogrammegen. Förderprogrammsstrong declension
- die
the
determinerA1definite
- die Fläche
area, surface, plot of land
nounB1pl. Flächengen. Flächemixed declension
- vergeben
to award, to allocate, to forgive
verbB2vergeben, vergab, hat vergebenmit habenstronggoverns accusative