Prädikativglied

Prädikativglied is a term used in German grammar to describe a sentence element that completes the meaning of a predicative verb and, together with the verb, forms a predicative unit. This unit describes a state, quality, or characteristic of the subject or the object of the sentence. Unlike a direct object, a Prädikativglied does not receive the action of the verb but rather describes it.

There are two main types of Prädikativglied: subject predicatives and object predicatives. A subject predicative relates to the subject of the sentence. It typically follows a copular verb, such as "sein" (to be), "werden" (to become), or "bleiben" (to remain). For example, in the sentence "Sie ist glücklich" (She is happy), "glücklich" is the subject predicative, describing the state of the subject "Sie".

An object predicative, on the other hand, relates to the object of the sentence. It describes a state or quality of the object after the action of the verb has been completed. For instance, in "Er nannte sie seine Freundin" (He called her his friend), "seine Freundin" is the object predicative, describing "sie" (her) after the action of "nannte" (called). Prädikativglieder can be nouns, adjectives, pronouns, or even adverbial phrases that function in this predicative role. Understanding Prädikativglieder is crucial for a complete analysis of German sentence structure.