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












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?






grammar-identification







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?






    grammar-identification







    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?






      grammar-identification







      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




      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























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            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






























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