Nachfeld Glossary of terms

The Nachfeld is the syntactic position that follows the sentence bracket in a German sentence, where optional or emphasized elements are placed.

Additional Information

Translations: post-field, final position of the sentence, extraposition
Related concepts: Mittelfeld, Vorfeld, Satzklammer

Detailed Explanation

The Nachfeld is a unique feature of German syntax that allows certain elements to be placed after the conjugated verb in subordinate clauses or after the participle or infinitive in main clauses. It is mainly used to emphasize information or to lighten the syntactic load of complex sentences.

Elements that often appear in the Nachfeld include subordinate clauses, long prepositional phrases, and infinitive constructions.

Usage examples of "Nachfeld"

📝 Some usage examples:

Ich habe das Buch gelesen, das du mir empfohlen hast.The subordinate clause 'das du mir empfohlen hast' is in the Nachfeld, after the participle 'gelesen'.
Er hat gearbeitet, bis spät in die Nacht.The prepositional phrase 'bis spät in die Nacht' is placed in the Nachfeld to emphasize the duration.
Sie hat versprochen, morgen früh anzurufen.The infinitive construction 'morgen früh anzurufen' is located in the Nachfeld to simplify the structure of the main sentence.

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