The idea
Learn the complete construction sich sorgen um, including its Akkusativ complement. The preposition um belongs to the construction; do not infer its case from English. In a yes/no question the finite verb moves before the subject, while the complement keeps its case.
| Muster | Kasus |
|---|---|
| sich sorgen um | Akkusativ |
Repair the complement
Ich sorge mich um dem Nachbarn.Ich sorge mich um den Nachbarn.Um takes accusative; the reflexive pronoun must also match the subject.
Examples
- Ich sorge mich um den verspäteten Wanderer.I worry about the delayed hiker.
- Sorge ich mich um den verspäteten Wanderer?Do I worry about the delayed hiker?
- Die Nachbarin sorgt sich um ihre Katze.The neighbor worries about her cat.
- Sorgt die Nachbarin sich um ihre Katze?Does the neighbor worry about her cat?
- Wir sorgen uns um die Zukunft des kleinen Vereins.We worry about the future of the small club.
- Sorgen wir uns um die Zukunft des kleinen Vereins?Do we worry about the future of the small club?
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Watch out
Um takes accusative; the reflexive pronoun must also match the subject.
Try it yourself
sich sorgen ___ — Präposition ergänzen
Show answer or example answer
um
um: this is the required preposition in sich sorgen um.
Korrigiere: Ich sorge mich um dem Nachbarn.
Show answer or example answer
Ich sorge mich um den Nachbarn.
Ich sorge mich um den Nachbarn. Um takes accusative; the reflexive pronoun must also match the subject.
Verwandle in eine Ja/Nein-Frage: Ich sorge mich um den verspäteten Wanderer.
Show answer or example answer
Sorge ich mich um den verspäteten Wanderer?
Sorge ich mich um den verspäteten Wanderer? The finite verb comes first; the complement keeps its case.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
sich sorgen ___ — Präposition ergänzen
Korrigiere: Ich sorge mich um dem Nachbarn.
Ich sorge mich um den Nachbarn.
Verwandle in eine Ja/Nein-Frage: Ich sorge mich um den verspäteten Wanderer.
Sorge ich mich um den verspäteten Wanderer?
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write two sentences about your own week with sich sorgen um: a statement and the matching yes/no question. The word order changes, but the complement stays in the Akkusativ; compare both with “Ich sorge mich um den Nachbarn.”.