Reading · C1 · Text 26

Scheidung

66 words1 min read89% known at C1

Bei der Scheidung müssen noch viele Dinge geregelt werden.

In a divorce, many things still need to be settled.

Wenn die ehemaligen Partner Kinder haben, entscheidet der Richter, bei wem die Kinder bleiben.

If the former partners have children, the judge decides which parent the children will live with.

Das Geld der ehemaligen Partner wird oft aufgeteilt, und der reichere der Partner muss dem ärmeren immer noch etwas jeden Monat bezahlen, den Unterhalt.

The former partners' assets are often divided, and the richer partner must pay the poorer partner a monthly amount, known as alimony.

Für die ehemaligen Partner, für und Kinder, aber auch für Familie und Freunde, ist eine Scheidung etwas sehr Trauriges.

For the former partners, for the children, but also for family and friends, a divorce is something very sad.

4 words above C1

den Unterhalt← der Unterhalt
maintenance, alimony (financial support in a divorce) singular only; here in the accusative case
reichere← reich
richer (here used as a noun: the richer one) comparative form, inflected after 'der', substantivized
Partner← der Partner
partner, spouse plural has the same form; here plural after 'ehemaligen'
Dinge← das Ding
things, matters plural of 'Ding'; here 'matters'

Grammar in this text

Passive with modal verb

müssen noch viele Dinge geregelt werden

The passive voice is formed with 'werden' plus the past participle 'geregelt'. The modal verb 'müssen' stands in second position and the passive infinitive 'geregelt werden' is placed at the end of the sentence.

Indirect question with a preposition + interrogative

bei wem die Kinder bleiben

This is an indirect question governed by 'entscheidet'. The interrogative 'wem' follows the preposition 'bei' (dative). The conjugated verb 'bleiben' is placed at the end of the clause.

Verb-second in main clause after an initial subordinate clause

Wenn die ehemaligen Partner Kinder haben, entscheidet der Richter

If the sentence begins with a subordinate clause ('wenn...'), the main clause starts with the finite verb in second position, followed by the subject (verb-first word order in the main clause due to inversion).

Substantivated comparative adjective

der reichere der Partner

The comparative adjective 'reichere' is used as a noun, meaning 'the richer one'. It is inflected with the definite article 'der' and the genitive partitive 'der Partner' specifies the group.

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Same text, graded forA1 versionC2 version

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

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