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Third sentence of 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
But in Germany this applies to many people.
Word for word: In Germany meets that however on many people to.
Used to say that what was just described is true of many people in Germany; 'aber' here is a contrastive particle meaning 'though' or 'however'.
Main clause with verb-second word order: the fronted prepositional phrase 'In Deutschland' occupies the first position, so the finite verb 'trifft' comes second and its separated prefix 'zu' moves to the end. The separable verb 'zutreffen auf' governs the accusative, hence 'viele Menschen' in accusative plural with the mixed adjective ending -e after 'viele'.
Rules at work(6)
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In Deutschland trifft
The fronted adverbial occupies first position, pushing the finite verb to second place.
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? -
trifft ... zu
The prefix zu of zutreffen is separated from the finite stem and placed at the end of the clause.
Some verbs carry a prefix that detaches in a main clause and moves to the very end: aufstehen becomes Ich stehe um sieben auf. The prefix is stressed, which is what tells a separable prefix from an inseparable one. In a subordinate clause and in the infinitive the verb stays whole.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
auf viele Menschen
zutreffen is fixed with the preposition auf, which governs the accusative.
Many verbs are tied to one preposition and one case, and the pairing rarely matches the English one. Warten auf takes the accusative, denken an takes the accusative, teilnehmen an takes the dative.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
viele Menschen
The object of auf with zutreffen stands in the accusative.
The accusative marks the direct object: the thing the action is done to. Only the masculine changes visibly, from der to den and from ein to einen, which is why the masculine is where accusative errors show.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
In Deutschland
in takes the dative Deutschland because it expresses static location.
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? -
aber
aber functions here as a flavouring particle meaning 'though', not as a conjunction.
Doch, mal, ja, denn, halt and eben carry no dictionary meaning but colour the sentence with impatience, softening, surprise or resignation. Leaving them out is grammatical and sounds abrupt.
Does this rule belong on this sentence?
Words(8)
- in
in, into
prepositionA1governs accusative or dative
Dative for location, accusative for direction.
- das Deutschland
Germany
nounA1pl. —gen. Deutschlandsinvariable declension
- zutreffen
to apply to, to be true of
verbB2zutreffen, traf zu, hat zugetroffenmit habenseparablestronggoverns accusativeauf + accusative
Almost always used with auf: etwas trifft auf jemanden/etwas zu = something applies to someone/something.
- das
that, what
pronounA1demonstrative
Before a comma, das is usually a pronoun introducing a relative clause, not the article.
- aber
but, however
adverbA2modal
Positioned after the fronted phrase it contrasts with, 'aber' means 'however'; at the start of a clause it is the coordinating conjunction 'but'.
- auf
on, onto
prepositionA1governs accusative or dative
Location takes the dative, movement towards the accusative.
- viel
many, much
adjectiveA2
'viel' before plural countable nouns means 'many'; its comparative is the irregular 'mehr'.
- der Mensch
human being, person
nounA1pl. Menschengen. Menschenweak declension
Weak n-declension: the genitive singular is Menschen and every plural form is Menschen.