dabei is pointing to what preposition or fact “Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du...
I was reading the sentence
Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.
and I worked out that it meant roughly
I was just about to close the door. While doing that, you called me.
I want to ask about the function of the word "dabei"
I know that dabei can be pointing to a specific noun (i.e. as it was happening)
but what is the specific use of dabei here? Is dabei pointing to anything in the first sentence?
grammar-identification
asked 5 hours ago
Bob SmithBob Smith
4648
add a comment |
I was reading the sentence
Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.
and I worked out that it meant roughly
I was just about to close the door. While doing that, you called me.
I want to ask about the function of the word "dabei"
I know that dabei can be pointing to a specific noun (i.e. as it was happening)
but what is the specific use of dabei here? Is dabei pointing to anything in the first sentence?
grammar-identification
asked 5 hours ago
Bob SmithBob Smith
4648
add a comment |
I was reading the sentence
Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.
and I worked out that it meant roughly
I was just about to close the door. While doing that, you called me.
I want to ask about the function of the word "dabei"
I know that dabei can be pointing to a specific noun (i.e. as it was happening)
but what is the specific use of dabei here? Is dabei pointing to anything in the first sentence?
grammar-identification
asked 5 hours ago
Bob SmithBob Smith
4648
I was reading the sentence
Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.
and I worked out that it meant roughly
I was just about to close the door. While doing that, you called me.
I want to ask about the function of the word "dabei"
I know that dabei can be pointing to a specific noun (i.e. as it was happening)
but what is the specific use of dabei here? Is dabei pointing to anything in the first sentence?
grammar-identification
grammar-identification
asked 5 hours ago
Bob SmithBob Smith
4648
asked 5 hours ago
Bob SmithBob Smith
4648
asked 5 hours ago
Bob SmithBob Smith
4648
asked 5 hours ago
Bob SmithBob Smith
4648
asked 5 hours ago
Bob SmithBob Smith
4648
4648
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
"Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.
A proper translation to English would be
I was closing the door when you called.
answered 5 hours ago
tofrotofro
43.7k146132
is this similar to "dabei sein"
– Bob Smith
4 hours ago
add a comment |
Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.
An alternative wording is:
Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.
Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:
Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.
I was in favor of closing the door.
answered 4 hours ago
RHaRHa
6,8341527
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
"Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.
A proper translation to English would be
I was closing the door when you called.
answered 5 hours ago
tofrotofro
43.7k146132
is this similar to "dabei sein"
– Bob Smith
4 hours ago
add a comment |
"Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.
A proper translation to English would be
I was closing the door when you called.
answered 5 hours ago
tofrotofro
43.7k146132
is this similar to "dabei sein"
– Bob Smith
4 hours ago
add a comment |
"Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.
A proper translation to English would be
I was closing the door when you called.
answered 5 hours ago
tofrotofro
43.7k146132
"Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.
A proper translation to English would be
I was closing the door when you called.
answered 5 hours ago
tofrotofro
43.7k146132
answered 5 hours ago
tofrotofro
43.7k146132
answered 5 hours ago
tofrotofro
43.7k146132
answered 5 hours ago
tofrotofro
43.7k146132
43.7k146132
is this similar to "dabei sein"
– Bob Smith
4 hours ago
add a comment |
is this similar to "dabei sein"
– Bob Smith
4 hours ago
is this similar to "dabei sein"
– Bob Smith
4 hours ago
is this similar to "dabei sein"
– Bob Smith
4 hours ago
add a comment |
Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.
An alternative wording is:
Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.
Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:
Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.
I was in favor of closing the door.
answered 4 hours ago
RHaRHa
6,8341527
add a comment |
Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.
An alternative wording is:
Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.
Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:
Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.
I was in favor of closing the door.
answered 4 hours ago
RHaRHa
6,8341527
add a comment |
Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.
An alternative wording is:
Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.
Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:
Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.
I was in favor of closing the door.
answered 4 hours ago
RHaRHa
6,8341527
Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.
An alternative wording is:
Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.
Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:
Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.
I was in favor of closing the door.
answered 4 hours ago
RHaRHa
6,8341527
answered 4 hours ago
RHaRHa
6,8341527
answered 4 hours ago
RHaRHa
6,8341527
answered 4 hours ago
RHaRHa
6,8341527
6,8341527
add a comment |
add a comment |
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