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From 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
Nearly 40 percent sleep less than seven hours on weekdays, according to their own statements.
Word for word: Nearly 40 percent sleep own statements according-to under the week fewer than seven hours.
Reports that almost 40 percent of people get by on fewer than seven hours of sleep per night during the working week. Typical of news or survey reporting; 'eigenen Angaben zufolge' marks the information as self-reported.
A simple main clause in the present tense with the verb in second position. The subject 'knapp 40 Prozent' is a numeral phrase; 'Prozent' is plural and agrees with the plural verb 'schlafen'. The postposition 'zufolge' follows its dative object 'eigenen Angaben' (no article, so the adjective takes a strong ending). 'weniger als sieben Stunden' is a comparative of inferiority; 'Stunden' is an accusative measure object.
Rules at work(7)
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Knapp 40 Prozent schlafen
The finite verb 'schlafen' occupies the second position of the main clause behind the fronted 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.
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eigenen Angaben zufolge ... unter der Woche
'zufolge' governs the dative ('Angaben'), and the temporal 'unter' takes the dative ('der Woche').
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.
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weniger als sieben Stunden
'weniger' is the comparative of 'wenig' and 'als' introduces the comparison standard.
German adds er and st rather than using more and most, however long the adjective. Many one syllable adjectives take an umlaut, and the superlative before a noun takes an ordinary adjective ending while a standalone one uses am plus sten.
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40 Prozent schlafen
'Prozent' is plural, so the verb carries the third-person plural form 'schlafen'.
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.
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schlafen
The plain present tense reports survey findings, as German commonly does.
The present describes what is happening now, what happens habitually, and very often what is going to happen, since German uses the present with a time expression where English would use a future.
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unter der Woche
'unter' is a two-way preposition; in this fixed temporal phrase it takes the dative.
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.
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eigenen Angaben
With no article or determiner, the adjective 'eigenen' carries the strong dative plural ending itself.
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.
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Words(14)
- knapp
just under, barely (with numbers), tight, scarce
adverbA2degree
knapp 7.300 means 'just under 7,300', not 'tightly 7,300'.
- 40
forty
numeralA1
- das Prozent
percent
nounA2pl. Prozentgen. Prozentsstrong declension
- schlafen
to sleep
verbA1schlafen, schlief, hat geschlafenmit habenstrong
- eigen
own
adjectiveA2eigner, am eignesten
Usually used with a possessive: die eigene Wichtigkeit = 'its own importance'.
- die Angabe
statement of information, figure given in a report
nounB1pl. Angabengen. Angabeweak declension
'eigenen Angaben zufolge' = 'according to one's own account'; common in journalism.
- zufolge
according to
prepositionB2governs genitive
Follows its noun phrase: 'den Angaben zufolge'; governs the dative.
- unter
under, among, citing
prepositionA2governs accusative or dative
'unter Berufung auf' is a set journalistic phrase meaning 'citing'.
- der
the
determinerA1definite
Appears twice: dative feminine 'der Wirtschaft' and nominative plural 'die Beschlüsse'.
- die Woche
week
nounA1pl. Wochengen. Wochestrong declension
- wenig
little, few
adverbA1degree
As a comparative it usually means 'less/fewer than'.
- als
as, than, when (past)
conjunctionA2correlative
here 'als Land' means 'as a country'; also used for comparisons and after 'als' in past-time clauses
- sieben
seven
numeralA1
- die Stunde
hour
nounA1pl. Stundengen. Stundemixed declension