German · C1 · Everyday language
Putting the real issue in focus in German
Use German focus clefts to identify the real concern without raising your voice. Es ist or es sind places a noun phrase in the spotlight; the following relative clause explains its relevance. This is useful for calm, precise discussions about family rules, decisions and fairness.
What you'll learn
- Highlight the central issue with es ist or es sind plus a focused noun phrase and a relative clause.
- Match singular and plural focus phrases with the appropriate forms of sein.
- Distinguish the main concern from alternatives through wording and measured spoken emphasis.
- Use es war to highlight the decisive factor in a past situation.
German phrases for putting the real issue in focus
Es ist die Inkonsequenz, die mich stört, nicht die Unannehmlichkeit.
It is the inconsistency that bothers me, not the inconvenience.
The contrast identifies inconsistent behaviour as the concern, rather than the inconvenience it causes.
Es ist deine Begründung, die ich verstehen möchte.
It is your reasoning that I want to understand.
Focus on Begründung to signal interest in the reasons, rather than simply agreement or disagreement.
Es sind die Ausnahmen, die es schwer machen, die Regelung zu beurteilen.
It is the exceptions that make the arrangement difficult to assess.
The plural focus die Ausnahmen requires es sind.
Es war die fehlende Rücksprache, die ihr Vertrauen untergrub.
It was the lack of consultation that undermined their confidence.
Es war highlights the decisive factor in the past. Vertrauen means confidence in people or a process here.
Es sind die praktischen Folgen, die mehr Aufmerksamkeit verdienen.
It is the practical consequences that deserve closer attention.
The focus redirects attention towards practical effects rather than other aspects of the discussion.
Es ist die Annahme hinter dieser Frage, die ich bestreite.
It is the assumption behind that question that I dispute.
This challenges the underlying assumption, not the person's right to ask the question.
Es war deine Bereitschaft, noch einmal darüber nachzudenken, die mich beeindruckt hat.
It was your willingness to reconsider that impressed me.
The whole phrase beginning deine Bereitschaft is in focus: the praise concerns openness to reconsidering.
Es ist die Unterscheidung zwischen Fairness und Gleichheit, auf die es hier ankommt.
It is the distinction between fairness and sameness that matters here.
Gleichheit refers here to everyone receiving the same thing or treatment; Fairness need not mean identical treatment.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
die Inkonsequenz
inconsistency; failure to act consistently
Plural: die Inkonsequenzen. Useful for inconsistent application of rules or decisions.
die Unannehmlichkeit
inconvenience
Plural: die Unannehmlichkeiten.
die Begründung
reasoning; explanation of the reasons
Plural: die Begründungen. Refers to the reasons offered for a decision or position.
die Ausnahme
exception
Plural: die Ausnahmen.
die Regelung
arrangement; agreed rule
Plural: die Regelungen. Suitable for arrangements about routines or responsibilities.
die Rücksprache
consultation; checking with someone
Plural: die Rücksprachen. Often used in the singular for consulting someone before acting.
das Vertrauen
trust; confidence
No usual plural. Not the same as Selbstvertrauen, meaning self-confidence.
die Folge
consequence
Plural: die Folgen.
die Annahme
assumption
Plural: die Annahmen.
die Bereitschaft
willingness
No usual plural in this meaning.
die Unterscheidung
distinction
Plural: die Unterscheidungen.
die Fairness
fairness
No usual plural.
die Gleichheit
equality; sameness
No usual plural in this meaning. In this discussion, it means sameness of provision or treatment.
Put the central issue in focus
A focus cleft splits a statement into a highlighted noun phrase and a relative clause describing its relevance. The noun phrase supplies the key answer to an explicit or implied question such as 'What bothers you?' The relative clause presents the background against which that answer matters.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral statement | One statement without a cleft | Die Inkonsequenz stört mich. |
| Focused statement | Es ist + focused noun phrase + relative clause | Es ist die Inkonsequenz, die mich stört. |
| Expanded focus | Es ist + complete focused noun phrase + relative clause | Es ist die Annahme hinter dieser Frage, die ich bestreite. |
Agreement follows the focused noun phrase
Use ist with a singular focus and sind with a plural focus, even though the sentence begins with es. For a past focus, use war or waren. Within the relative clause, the verb agrees with its own subject: the focused noun determines that agreement only when the relative expression is the subject.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular focus | Es ist + singular noun phrase | Es ist die praktische Folge, die mehr Aufmerksamkeit verdient. |
| Plural focus | Es sind + plural noun phrase | Es sind die praktischen Folgen, die mehr Aufmerksamkeit verdienen. |
| A different relative-clause subject | Plural focus + relative clause with ich as subject | Es sind die Annahmen, die ich bestreite. |
| Past focus | Es war / Es waren + focused noun phrase | Es war die fehlende Rücksprache, die ihr Vertrauen untergrub. |
Contrast without extra volume
Clefts often correct a possible misunderstanding: this is the issue, rather than something else. You can state the alternative with nicht or leave it implicit. Give the focused phrase clear, measured stress rather than making the whole sentence louder. These constructions are deliberately emphatic, so use them when a distinction genuinely matters.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Explicit contrast | Es ist + focus + relative clause + nicht + alternative | Es ist die Inkonsequenz, die mich stört, nicht die Unannehmlichkeit. |
| Implicit contrast | Es ist + focus + relative clause | Es ist deine Begründung, die ich verstehen möchte. |
| Positive emphasis | Es war + appreciated quality + relative clause | Es war deine Bereitschaft, noch einmal darüber nachzudenken, die mich beeindruckt hat. |
More examples
Es ist der Ton, der mich stört, nicht deine Frage.
It is the tone that bothers me, not your question.
Separates the way something was said from the child's right to ask.
Es sind die ständigen Änderungen, die unsere Planung erschweren.
It is the constant changes that make our planning harder.
Plural focus: sind in the opening and erschweren with the plural relative-clause subject.
Es ist deine Sichtweise, die ich verstehen möchte.
It is your perspective that I want to understand.
Uses focus to invite explanation rather than increase confrontation.
Es war deine Ehrlichkeit, die mich gefreut hat.
It was your honesty that pleased me.
Highlights the specific quality you appreciated in a past situation.