ドイツ語日記翻訳【144】
もし、削れる部分があるとすれば会社に勤めている時間。
Wenn es einen Bereich gäbe, in dem ich kürzen könnte, wären es die Stunden, die ich im Büro verbringe.
解説
### **1. Sentence Overview**
This is a conditional (hypothetical) sentence structured in two parts:
1. **”Wenn es einen Bereich gäbe, in dem ich kürzen könnte”**
(If there were one area where I could cut back)
2. **”wären es die Stunden, die ich im Büro verbringe.”**
(it would be the hours that I spend at the office)The sentence uses **Konjunktiv II (Subjunctive II)** to express a hypothetical or unreal condition.
—
### **2. Grammar and Meaning**
#### **Part 1: Wenn es einen Bereich gäbe, in dem ich kürzen könnte**
– **”Wenn”**:
– Subordinating conjunction meaning “if.” It introduces a conditional clause.
– This word signals a hypothetical situation.– **”es”**:
– Pronoun meaning “it.” Here, it serves as a placeholder or subject for the verb **”gäbe”**.– **”einen Bereich”**:
– **”einen”**: Accusative singular form of the indefinite article **”ein”** for masculine nouns.
– **”Bereich”**: Masculine noun meaning “area,” functioning as the direct object of **”gäbe.”**
– Translation: “an area.”– **”gäbe”**:
– Third-person singular **Konjunktiv II** form of **”geben”** (to give).
– In this context, it means “were” and expresses a hypothetical situation: *”If there were.”*– **”in dem ich kürzen könnte”**:
– **”in dem”**: Relative pronoun combining the preposition **”in”** (in) with **”dem”** (the dative form of the masculine article “the”).
– Refers back to **”Bereich”**, so it means “in which.”
– **”ich”**: Subject pronoun meaning “I.”
– **”kürzen”**: Infinitive verb meaning “to cut back” or “to reduce.”
– **”könnte”**: **Konjunktiv II** form of **”können”** (to be able to). Indicates possibility or hypothetical ability.
– Translation: “in which I could cut back.”#### **Combined Meaning of Part 1**:
“If there were one area in which I could cut back.”
This sets up a hypothetical situation where the speaker imagines having an area to reduce something.—
#### **Part 2: Wären es die Stunden, die ich im Büro verbringe**
– **”wären”**:
– Third-person plural **Konjunktiv II** form of **”sein”** (to be).
– Expresses a hypothetical result: “it would be.”– **”es”**:
– Pronoun meaning “it.” Refers to the hypothetical **”area”** mentioned earlier.– **”die Stunden”**:
– **”die”**: Feminine plural definite article meaning “the.”
– **”Stunden”**: Feminine plural noun meaning “hours.” Functions as the subject of this clause.
– Translation: “the hours.”– **”die ich im Büro verbringe”**:
– **”die”**: Relative pronoun meaning “that,” referring back to **”die Stunden”** (the hours).
– **”ich”**: Subject pronoun meaning “I.”
– **”im Büro”**: Prepositional phrase meaning “at the office.”
– **”im”**: Contraction of **”in”** (in) and **”dem”** (the dative article for neuter nouns like “Büro”).
– **”Büro”**: Neuter noun meaning “office.”
– **”verbringe”**: First-person singular conjugation of **”verbringen”** (to spend [time]).
– Translation: “that I spend at the office.”#### **Combined Meaning of Part 2**:
“It would be the hours that I spend at the office.”
This identifies the specific area the speaker would choose to cut back in.—
### **3. Overall Meaning**
The sentence expresses a hypothetical situation in which the speaker considers reducing something in their life. If there were an area to cut back, it would be the time they spend at the office.—
### **4. Key Grammar Notes**
– **Konjunktiv II**:
Used throughout to indicate hypothetical or unreal conditions (e.g., **”gäbe”**, **”könnte”**, **”wären”**). This creates a speculative tone.– **Relative Clauses**:
– **”in dem ich kürzen könnte”**: Specifies the “area” (Bereich) where the reduction is possible.
– **”die ich im Büro verbringe”**: Describes the “hours” (Stunden) being referred to.– **Word Order in Subordinate Clauses**:
– In subordinate clauses introduced by **”wenn”** or relative pronouns (e.g., **”in dem”**, **”die”**), the conjugated verb is placed at the end.—