Dabei war'n dort am Horizont
There were on the horizon
Language note: German word order may seem inverted to English speakers.
Culture note: Using the horizon as a narrative device invites curiosity and tension.
Context: The two friends look closely at the photo, realizing that something unexpected was visible.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
Dabei
[dah-bai]
yet
Used to indicate contrast or contradiction.
Dabei war'n dort Menschen.
And yet, there were people there.
war'n
[var-n]
were
Contraction of 'waren'; past tense of the verb 'to be'.
Sie war'n zu Hause.
They were at home.
dort
[dohrt]
there
At that location or place.
Dort sieht man Berge.
There you can see mountains.
am
[ahm]
at the
Indicating a specific location or time.
Am Horizont verschwinden die Wolken.
The clouds disappear at the horizon.
Horizont
[ho-ree-zont]
horizon
The line where the earth's surface and the sky appear to meet.
Der Horizont leuchtet rot.
The horizon glows red.
Phrase Parts
Dabei war'n dort
Am Horizont
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