A Foundation Course in Reading German, 2017a

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12/8/2017
Identify and translate da- and hier- words.
Identify and translate da- and wo- clauses.
Unit: 12: Da- compounds
2. Da– Compounds
German can use words formed by affixing da– or dar– to the beginning of a
preposition in order to refer back to something. In its most basic usage, we usually
translate a da– compound into English as a preposition followed by a pronoun.
Er hat einen Bleistift. Er schreibt damit.
He has a pencil. He is writing with it.
Hier ist ein Stuhl. Sie sitzt darauf.
Here is a chair. She is sitting on it.
Note that the form dar– is used when the preposition begins with a vowel.
Unit: 12: Da- compounds
3. Some Common Da– Words
In older forms of English and often in English-language legal documents, there are a
large variety of words formed with the prefix there-, such as “therefore,”“thereby,”
“therein,” “thereafter,” etc. In German there are a number of similar adverbs, which
represent special meanings of da– compounds (remember that one of the meanings
of da is “there”).
Be sure not to confuse these da– words with the da– compounds described above.
The difference is that these adverbs use da– to refer not to a specific object already
mentioned in the text, but rather to a more abstract concept, such as a time or logic
relationship. Da– words have their own entries in your dictionary, whereas simple
da– compounds as above do not.
Sie bringt immer einen Regenschirm, damit sie nie naß wird.
She always brings an umbrella, so that she never gets wet.
Er sprang von der Mauer. Dabei brach er das Bein.
He jumped from the wall. In the process he broke his leg.