Reading · B2 · Text 50

Ruine

49 words1 min read86% known at B2

Ähnlich sieht es aus, wenn man einen Teil von alten Gebäuden wiederaufbaut.

It looks similar when one rebuilds a part of old buildings.

Man errichtet nur einen kleinen Teil, weil es zu teuer wäre, das gesamte Gebäude neu zu bauen.

One only builds a small part, because it would be too expensive to rebuild the entire building.

Es geht darum, annähernd zu zeigen, wie es ausgesehen haben kann.

The aim is to show approximately what it might have looked like.

Das nennt man dann aber eine Rekonstruktion oder Teilrekonstruktion.

But that is then called a reconstruction or partial reconstruction.

7 words above B2

darum
about it; in the phrase 'es geht darum' = 'the point is' da-compound referring to a following infinitive clause
wiederaufbaut← wiederaufbauen
rebuilds, reconstructs separable verb; 3rd person singular present in subordinate clause
errichtet← errichten
erects, builds (somewhat formal) regular verb; 3rd person singular present to build, to erect (a building or permanent structure, especially a large or individually significant one); to erect, to set up (a barricade,… C1/ɛˈʁɪçtən/
gesamte← gesamt
entire, whole attributive adjective used after 'das' (weak declension)
reconstruction (a rebuilt model/version) plural: die Rekonstruktionen reconstruction C1
Teilrekonstruktion
partial reconstruction plural: die Teilrekonstruktionen; compound of 'Teil' + 'Rekonstruktion'
bauen
to build regular verb; here used as infinitive with 'zu'

Grammar in this text

Subordinate clause with verb-final position (Nebensatz)

wenn man einen Teil von alten Gebäuden wiederaufbaut

In German subordinate clauses (introduced by conjunctions like 'wenn'), the finite verb moves to the end. Here, the separable prefix 'wieder-' remains attached to the finite verb in the subordinate clause.

Konjunktiv II (subjunctive II) for hypothetical statements

weil es zu teuer wäre

The verb 'wäre' is the subjunctive II form of 'sein' (would be). It expresses a hypothetical condition: rebuilding the whole building would be too expensive.

Infinitive clause with 'darum' (da-compound)

Es geht darum, annähernd zu zeigen

The da-compound 'darum' refers to the following infinitive clause. The structure 'es geht darum, etwas zu tun' means 'it is about doing something'.

Modal verb with perfect infinitive for past possibility

wie es ausgesehen haben kann

The modal verb 'kann' combines with the perfect infinitive 'ausgesehen haben' to express a guess about the past: how it may have looked.

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Text from Ruine — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.