dabei is pointing to what preposition or fact “Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du...

Single word request: Harming the benefactor

It's a yearly task, alright

Latest web browser compatible with Windows 98

Touchscreen-controlled dentist office snowman collector game

Decoding assembly instructions in a Game Boy disassembler

Prove that the total distance is minimised (when travelling across the longest path)

How do anti-virus programs start at Windows boot?

Provisioning profile doesn't include the application-identifier and keychain-access-groups entitlements

Can "semicircle" be used to refer to a part-circle that is not a exact half-circle?

What is the definition of "Natural Selection"?

The three point beverage

Is all copper pipe pretty much the same?

How can I discourage/prevent PCs from using door choke-points?

How to make readers know that my work has used a hidden constraint?

Unreachable code, but reachable with exception

Counter-example to the existence of left Bousfield localization of combinatorial model category

Running a subshell from the middle of the current command

Best approach to update all entries in a list that is paginated?

Force user to remove USB token

What is the blue range indicating on this manifold pressure gauge?

Is it illegal in Germany to take sick leave if you caused your own illness with food?

Why would a jet engine that runs at temps excess of 2000°C burn when it crashes?

Why must traveling waves have the same amplitude to form a standing wave?

Does the Bracer of Flying Daggers benefit from the Dueling fighting style?



dabei is pointing to what preposition or fact “Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.”


“Ich bin der Meinung, dass die Kleidung dieser Saison entsetzlich ist.” - sind or ist?“So ist er gut”













1















I was reading the sentence




Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.




and I worked out that it meant roughly




I was just about to close the door. While doing that, you called me.




I want to ask about the function of the word "dabei"



I know that dabei can be pointing to a specific noun (i.e. as it was happening)



but what is the specific use of dabei here? Is dabei pointing to anything in the first sentence?










share|improve this question



























    1















    I was reading the sentence




    Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.




    and I worked out that it meant roughly




    I was just about to close the door. While doing that, you called me.




    I want to ask about the function of the word "dabei"



    I know that dabei can be pointing to a specific noun (i.e. as it was happening)



    but what is the specific use of dabei here? Is dabei pointing to anything in the first sentence?










    share|improve this question

























      1












      1








      1








      I was reading the sentence




      Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.




      and I worked out that it meant roughly




      I was just about to close the door. While doing that, you called me.




      I want to ask about the function of the word "dabei"



      I know that dabei can be pointing to a specific noun (i.e. as it was happening)



      but what is the specific use of dabei here? Is dabei pointing to anything in the first sentence?










      share|improve this question














      I was reading the sentence




      Ich war gerade dabei die Tür abzuschliessen. Da hast du angerufen.




      and I worked out that it meant roughly




      I was just about to close the door. While doing that, you called me.




      I want to ask about the function of the word "dabei"



      I know that dabei can be pointing to a specific noun (i.e. as it was happening)



      but what is the specific use of dabei here? Is dabei pointing to anything in the first sentence?







      grammar-identification






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked 5 hours ago









      Bob SmithBob Smith

      4648




      4648






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          2














          "Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.



          A proper translation to English would be




          I was closing the door when you called.







          share|improve this answer
























          • is this similar to "dabei sein"

            – Bob Smith
            4 hours ago



















          2














          Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.



          An alternative wording is:




          Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.




          Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:




          Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.




          I was in favor of closing the door.






          share|improve this answer























            Your Answer








            StackExchange.ready(function() {
            var channelOptions = {
            tags: "".split(" "),
            id: "253"
            };
            initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

            StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
            // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
            if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
            StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
            createEditor();
            });
            }
            else {
            createEditor();
            }
            });

            function createEditor() {
            StackExchange.prepareEditor({
            heartbeatType: 'answer',
            autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
            convertImagesToLinks: false,
            noModals: true,
            showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
            reputationToPostImages: null,
            bindNavPrevention: true,
            postfix: "",
            imageUploader: {
            brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
            contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
            allowUrls: true
            },
            noCode: true, onDemand: true,
            discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
            ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
            });


            }
            });














            draft saved

            draft discarded


















            StackExchange.ready(
            function () {
            StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fgerman.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f50120%2fdabei-is-pointing-to-what-preposition-or-fact-ich-war-gerade-dabei-die-t%25c3%25bcr-abzu%23new-answer', 'question_page');
            }
            );

            Post as a guest















            Required, but never shown

























            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            2














            "Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.



            A proper translation to English would be




            I was closing the door when you called.







            share|improve this answer
























            • is this similar to "dabei sein"

              – Bob Smith
              4 hours ago
















            2














            "Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.



            A proper translation to English would be




            I was closing the door when you called.







            share|improve this answer
























            • is this similar to "dabei sein"

              – Bob Smith
              4 hours ago














            2












            2








            2







            "Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.



            A proper translation to English would be




            I was closing the door when you called.







            share|improve this answer













            "Dabei" is expressing what the continuous form in English does - As German doesn't have that, we need to express concurrency of events using this (or other) adverbs.



            A proper translation to English would be




            I was closing the door when you called.








            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 5 hours ago









            tofrotofro

            43.7k146132




            43.7k146132













            • is this similar to "dabei sein"

              – Bob Smith
              4 hours ago



















            • is this similar to "dabei sein"

              – Bob Smith
              4 hours ago

















            is this similar to "dabei sein"

            – Bob Smith
            4 hours ago





            is this similar to "dabei sein"

            – Bob Smith
            4 hours ago











            2














            Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.



            An alternative wording is:




            Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.




            Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:




            Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.




            I was in favor of closing the door.






            share|improve this answer




























              2














              Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.



              An alternative wording is:




              Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.




              Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:




              Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.




              I was in favor of closing the door.






              share|improve this answer


























                2












                2








                2







                Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.



                An alternative wording is:




                Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.




                Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:




                Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.




                I was in favor of closing the door.






                share|improve this answer













                Dabei is derived from the preposition bei. Here, dabei refers to the following infinitive clause: die Tür abzuschließen.



                An alternative wording is:




                Ich war beim Abschließen der Tür.




                Dafür and dagegen can be used in the same way:




                Ich war dafür, die Tür abzuschließen.




                I was in favor of closing the door.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 4 hours ago









                RHaRHa

                6,8341527




                6,8341527






























                    draft saved

                    draft discarded




















































                    Thanks for contributing an answer to German Language Stack Exchange!


                    • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                    But avoid



                    • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                    • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                    To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                    draft saved


                    draft discarded














                    StackExchange.ready(
                    function () {
                    StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fgerman.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f50120%2fdabei-is-pointing-to-what-preposition-or-fact-ich-war-gerade-dabei-die-t%25c3%25bcr-abzu%23new-answer', 'question_page');
                    }
                    );

                    Post as a guest















                    Required, but never shown





















































                    Required, but never shown














                    Required, but never shown












                    Required, but never shown







                    Required, but never shown

































                    Required, but never shown














                    Required, but never shown












                    Required, but never shown







                    Required, but never shown







                    Popular posts from this blog

                    Gersau Kjelder | Navigasjonsmeny46°59′0″N 8°31′0″E46°59′0″N...

                    Hestehale Innhaldsliste Hestehale på kvinner | Hestehale på menn | Galleri | Sjå òg |...

                    What is the “three and three hundred thousand syndrome”?Who wrote the book Arena?What five creatures were...