Reading · C1 · Text 33

Wurzel

30 words1 min read100% known at C1

Mit den Wurzeln hält sich ein Baum fest.

A tree holds itself fast with its roots.

Mit den Wurzeln kann die Pflanze auch Wasser und Nahrung aus dem Boden aufnehmen.

With its roots, the plant can also take up water and nutrients from the soil.

Die gehen tief und gerade in den Boden.

They go deep and straight into the ground.

10 words above C1

Wurzeln← die Wurzel

root (of a plant) plural: die Wurzeln root; root, the primary source, origin; root, especially square root B2/ˈvʊʁt͡sl̩/

hält ... fest← festhalten

to hold, to keep (something) in place irregular: hält fest, hielt fest, festgehalten; separable verb to hold on (to) (to keep another object or person in place); to hold on (to) [with an (+ dative) ‘to something’] (to keep oneself in place by… B1[ˈfɛstˌhaltn̩]

Baum

tree plural: die Bäume tree; boom; a surname A1/baʊ̯m/

Pflanze

plant plural: die Pflanzen A2/ˈpflan(t)sə/

Wasser

water uncountable in this context water (H₂O); water, waters (body of water, especially a river or lake); alcoholic beverage, similar to brandy, made from fermented fruit A1/ˈva.sər/

Nahrung

food, nutrients uncountable nourishment, food B2[ˈnaːʁʊŋ]

Boden

ground, soil plural: die Böden ground, soil; sea bottom (typically called Meeresboden); any defined type of soil B1/ˈboːdn̩/

aufnehmen

to take in, to absorb irregular: nimmt auf, nahm auf, aufgenommen; separable verb to pick up, lift up; to receive, to accommodate, to take in (guests), to admit (to a hospital etc.); to accept (into a country, a group of people),… B1/ˈʔaʊ̯fneːmən/

tief

deep deep (having a long distance to the bottom; of bodies of water, wells, etc.); deep, profound (intense or significant); low (situated close to, or… A2/tiːf/

gerade

straight even; now (at the moment); just (a short while ago, typically less than an hour) A1/ɡəˈraːdə/

Grammar in this text

Separable verb in main clause (present tense)

Mit den Wurzeln hält sich ein Baum fest.

The separable verb 'festhalten' is split: the prefix 'fest' goes to the end, while the conjugated part 'hält' stays in second position. This is typical for separable verbs in German main clauses.

Modal verb with infinitive at the end

Mit den Wurzeln kann die Pflanze auch Wasser und Nahrung aus dem Boden aufnehmen.

The modal verb 'kann' is conjugated in second position, and the infinitive 'aufnehmen' (also separable) appears at the end of the sentence. This is the standard word order for modal verbs in main clauses.

Prepositional phrase with 'mit' + dative

Mit den Wurzeln hält sich ein Baum fest.

The preposition 'mit' always takes the dative case. Here 'den Wurzeln' is dative plural. This is a fixed rule for certain prepositions.

Adjective as adverb (predicative use)

Die gehen tief und gerade in den Boden.

The adjectives 'tief' and 'gerade' are used adverbially to describe how the roots go into the ground. In German, adjectives can be used as adverbs without any change in form.

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Same text, graded forB2 version

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

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