Topic: German

"Die Nächte sind notwendig."

Translation:The nights are necessary.

February 26, 2013

12 Comments

https://www.duolingo.com/Dill13

    The nights are necessary is the weirdest sentence I have ever heard. In what context would anyone say this?

    September 7, 2013
    https://www.duolingo.com/Anonyduck
    Plus

      Perhaps they are getting all metaphysical ;) The nights are necessary... to appreciate the brightness of the days.

      October 28, 2013
      https://www.duolingo.com/RobinV.
      Plus
      • 79

      It could be something similar to the following: Business conversation: Person 1: "Why don't you reduce the factory hours and only run during the day?" Person 2: "We cannot complete all orders using only day shifts. The nights are necessary."

      February 27, 2014
      https://www.duolingo.com/Dill13

        Very good! I didn't think of that. Still, I think a sentence that needs such a specific context is less useful for a beginning learner of a language.

        March 25, 2014
        https://www.duolingo.com/Shaho.F

          Achtung: Nächte = Nights Nächste = Next

          January 28, 2014
          https://www.duolingo.com/cg3ntry

            This sentence is rather beautiful.

            April 1, 2014
            https://www.duolingo.com/LB_StorM

              Would this mean "the nights are inevitable" or something else? Or it just makes no sense at all?

              February 26, 2013
              https://www.duolingo.com/wudama

                The translation is ok. However without context the meaning remains unclear.

                February 26, 2013
                https://www.duolingo.com/jpentland

                  Lost a mark here because I can't spell necessary. :(

                  April 3, 2013
                  https://www.duolingo.com/mstoyn

                    That's unfortunate to try to learn German and then the application takes points for not knowing English :(

                    June 20, 2013
                    https://www.duolingo.com/richardensor
                    Plus

                      Could someone please explain the difference between 'nötig' and 'notwendig'? Both mean essential, yes?

                      December 16, 2013
                      https://www.duolingo.com/Shady_arc

                        It seems "nötig" is more close-to-life "necessary for someone". Besides, there is expression "etwas nötig haben" to express the idea "needs something". For example "Sie hat einen Stuhl nötig" ~ "She needs a chair". "Notwendig" is not used is such an expression and means a more generic "necessity". Just like in English you use "possible"/"impossible" without specifying, possible for WHOM and under what circumstances.

                        Could a native speaker of German clarify this?

                        January 16, 2014
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