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Opening sentence of Feuer nicht unter Kontrolle: Waldbrände im Hohen Venn und im Schwarzwald, tagesschau.de, 17 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
The situation with the fire in the High Fens in the German-Belgian border area is still tense.
Word for word: Still always is the situation at-the fire in-the High Fen in-the German-Belgian border area tense.
A news-style report saying that a fire in the High Fens on the German-Belgian border has not yet been brought under control; the situation remains critical.
A declarative main clause beginning with the adverbial 'Noch immer', so the finite verb 'ist' stands in second position and the subject 'die Lage' follows it. The predicate adjective 'angespannt' is used predicatively without an ending.
Rules at work(5)
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Noch immer ist die Lage
The fronted adverbial 'Noch immer' occupies first position, so the finite verb 'ist' must come second and the subject follows.
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? -
beim Feuer im Hohen Venn im deutsch-belgischen Grenzgebiet
'bei' always governs the dative, and 'in' takes the dative here because it expresses location, not direction.
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? -
ist
The state of affairs is described as currently valid, using the present of 'sein'.
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.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
im Hohen Venn im deutsch-belgischen Grenzgebiet
'in' expresses static location ('where?'), so it takes the dative rather than the accusative.
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? -
Hohen Venn
After the definite article contained in 'im', the attributive adjective takes the weak dative ending -en.
After a definite article the adjective ending is e in the five nominative and accusative singular slots and en everywhere else, because the article has already shown the case and gender.
Does this rule belong on this sentence?
Words(13)
- noch
still, yet
adverbA1temporal
Before a comparative, 'noch stärker' means 'even stronger'.
- immer
always, ever
adverbA2degree
In 'noch immer' it combines with 'noch' to mean 'still'.
- sein
to be
verbA1sein, war, ist gewesenmit seinirregular
Copula here linking subject to predicate noun.
- der
the
determinerA1definite
Appears twice: dative feminine 'der Wirtschaft' and nominative plural 'die Beschlüsse'.
- die Lage
situation, position, location
nounB1pl. die Lagengen. der Lagestrong declension
In news language die Lage usually means 'the situation', not 'location'.
- beim
at the, with regard to
prepositionA1governs dative
Contraction of 'bei dem'; used before nominalised verbs such as 'beim Fahrradfahren'.
- das Feuer
fire
nounA1pl. Feuergen. Feuersstrong declension
- im
in the
prepositionA1governs dative
Fixed fusion of in + dem; the dative is built in.
- hoch
high, tall
adjectiveA1höher, am höchsten
Irregular comparative höher.
- das Venn
fen, raised bog
nounC1pl. Venntegen. Vennsstrong declension
- deutsch-belgisch
German-Belgian
adjectiveB1-, -
- das Grenzgebiet
border area, border region
nounB1pl. Grenzgebietegen. Grenzgebietesstrong declension
- angespannt
tense, strained
adjectiveB2angespannter, am angespanntesten