Reading · C2 · Text 13

Steiger

31 words1 min read90% known at C2

Wenn man ein Steiger werden will, muss man eine Bergschule oder eine Bergfachschule besuchen.

If you want to become a mine foreman, you must attend a mining school or a mining technical school.

Man kann auch ein Studium an einer technischen Hochschule machen.

You can also pursue a degree at a technical university.

Außerdem muss man fit und zuverlässig sein.

In addition, you must be fit and reliable.

3 words above C2

Hochschule← die Hochschule
university, college (institution of higher education) plural: die Hochschulen; in this context part of 'technische Hochschule' (technical university)
Bergschule← die Bergschule
mountaineering school, school for mountain guides plural: die Bergschulen
Bergfachschule← die Bergfachschule
mining vocational school, school for mining trades plural: die Bergfachschulen; 'Bergfach' means 'mining' as a subject

Grammar in this text

Verb-second inversion after a fronted subordinate clause

Wenn man ein Steiger werden will, muss man eine Bergschule oder eine Bergfachschule besuchen.

The subordinate clause (Wenn...) occupies the first field of the sentence, so the finite verb of the main clause (muss) directly follows the comma, and the subject (man) moves after it.

Inversion after a sentence-initial adverb (Conjunktionaladverb)

Außerdem muss man fit und zuverlässig sein.

The adverb 'Außerdem' at the beginning triggers subject-verb inversion: the finite verb 'muss' appears before the subject 'man'.

Modal verb + bare infinitive of the copula 'werden' with a predicative noun

ein Steiger werden will

In the subordinate clause, 'will' (from 'wollen') is the conjugated modal verb and 'werden' is the bare infinitive, expressing the intention to become a certain role; 'ein Steiger' is the predicative noun.

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

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