Was du brauchst, ist... (Wh-Clefts zur Betonung)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Wh-clefts move the most important information to the end of the sentence to create dramatic emphasis or clarity.
- Start with 'What' + a clause to set the scene: 'What I love...'
- Follow with the verb 'is' or 'was' as a bridge.
- End with the 'Focus'—the specific thing you want to highlight: '...is coffee.'
Overview
Wh-clefts (auch bekannt als pseudo-clefts).Wh-clefts erlauben es dir, Informationen so zu verpacken, dass der wichtigste Teil des Satzes – der Fokus – am Ende steht und dadurch maximales Gewicht erhält.I need a coffee und dem weitaus fokussierteren What I need is a coffee. Letzteres signalisiert: „Hört zu, das ist jetzt das Entscheidende.“Wh-cleft ist die funktionale Trennung von „bekannter Information“ und „neuer, fokussierter Information“. Linguistisch gesehen teilen wir einen einfachen Aussagesatz in zwei Teile auf. Der erste Teil beginnt meist mit einem Wh-word (meist what) und fungiert als eine Art Subjektklausel.to be, liefert dann die „Pointe“.Wh-cleft besteht aus:- 1Einer Relativklausel ohne Bezugswort (meist mit
whatbeginnend). - 2Dem Verb
to be(als Kopula oder Brücke). - 3Dem fokussierten Element (das kann ein Substantiv, ein ganzer Satz oder ein Infinitiv sein).
Theme (das, worüber wir sprechen) und den zweiten Teil das Rheme (das Neue, Wichtige). Durch den Wh-cleft wird das Rheme massiv aufgewertet.Wh-word + Subjekt + Verb + be (am/is/are/was/were) + Fokus-Element.What | I really appreciate | is | your honesty. |Where | we should go | is | to the head office. |Why | she left the company | was | because of the toxic culture. |What | he did | was | (to) resign immediately. |Wh-clause das Hilfsverb do (in der entsprechenden Zeitform) verwenden. Das ist ein Punkt, den viele Fortgeschrittene übersehen.- Normal:
He complained about the noise. - Cleft:
What he did was complain about the noise.
was folgt im Englischen meist der *Bare Infinitive* (Infinitiv ohne to), obwohl der *Full Infinitive* (mit to) grammatikalisch auch möglich, aber seltener ist.A solution is what we need.(stattWhat we need is a solution.)
We need more budget, sagst du: What we need is more budget. Damit machst du klar, dass dies die absolute Bedingung ist. Es lässt keinen Raum für Missverständnisse.Wh-cleft dein bester Freund.- A:
So, you're saying we should cancel the event? - B:
No, what I'm saying is that we should postpone it.
What I'm saying is... fungiert hier als Korrektur-Signal.What bugs me is the way he talks to his colleagues.What I love about this city is the vibrant nightlife.
Wh-cleft, die Essenz zu destillieren:What this research shows is that consumer behavior is changing.
We opened the box, and what we saw inside was beyond belief.
That what)*That what I need is....*That what I need is a break.What I need is a break. oder The thing (that) I need is a break.What allein reicht im Englischen aus, um „das, was“ auszudrücken.to be im Plural stehen – auch wenn das What am Anfang sich wie ein Singular anfühlt.- Klingt falsch, ist aber richtig:
What we need are more experienced developers.
What we need *is*..., weil sie What als einen Block betrachten. Wenn du jedoch eine Liste von Dingen nennst, ist der Plural eleganter.*Who did that was Peter sehr hölzern und ist oft grammatikalisch grenzwertig.The person who... oder einen It-cleft.- Schlecht:
*Who called you was my boss. - Besser:
The person who called you was my boss.oderIt was my boss who called you.
Wh-clefts funktionieren am besten mit What, Where, When und Why, aber selten mit Who.Wh-clefts von anderen Strukturen abzugrenzen, um die richtige Nuance zu treffen.I want a coffee. | Neutral, rein informativ. |What I want is a coffee. | Fokus auf das Objekt (coffee). „Hör zu, das ist es!“ |It is a coffee that I want. | Exklusivität. „Kaffee, nichts anderes!“ Oft zur Kontrastierung. |All I want is a coffee. | Einschränkung/Bescheidenheit. „Nur das und nichts weiter.“ |A coffee is what I want. | Etwas förmlicher, stellt das Ergebnis voran. |Wh-cleft (What I need is...) wird oft genutzt, um ein neues Thema einzuführen oder eine längere Erklärung zu starten. Der It-cleft (It is... that...) wird meist genutzt, um eine spezifische Sache gegen eine andere abzugrenzen (Kontrastfokus).What I like is jazz.(Allgemeine Betonung meiner Vorliebe)It is jazz that I like (not rock).(Klarstellung im Gegensatz zu etwas anderem)
What ist der unangefochtene König. Where, Why und When funktionieren gut, klingen aber oft etwas formeller. How wird selten genutzt (stattdessen: The way he did it was...). Who sollte, wie erwähnt, meist durch The person who... ersetzt werden.to beim Infinitiv nach was benutzen?What I did was (to) call him.to meist weg. Es klingt direkter und dynamischer. Wenn das Verb im Wh-clause im Past Participle steht, muss der Fokus aber angepasst werden: What has been done is... (hier folgt meist ein Substantiv oder eine Passivkonstruktion).Wh-clefts benutzen, um ihre Argumente zu strukturieren. Es hilft dem Zuhörer, dir zu folgen, weil du ankündigst: „Jetzt kommt das Wichtige.“ Es macht dein Englisch „griffiger“.What auch für Plural-Objekte nutzen?What I bought were three new suits. Auch wenn What formal oft wie Singular behandelt wird, richtet sich das Verb to be nach dem, was folgt. Das ist für uns Deutsche logisch, da wir auch sagen: „Was ich brauche, *sind* neue Schuhe.“Structure of a Wh-Cleft
| Wh-Clause (Subject) | Linking Verb | Focus (Object/Complement) |
|---|---|---|
|
What I need
|
is
|
a break
|
|
What she said
|
was
|
hilarious
|
|
What we want
|
is
|
to help
|
|
What happened
|
was
|
that the car broke down
|
|
What I love
|
is
|
walking in the rain
|
|
What they bought
|
were
|
three new houses (Formal)
|
|
What they bought
|
is
|
three new houses (Informal)
|
Contractions in Wh-Clefts
| Full Form | Contracted Form | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
What I need is...
|
What I need's...
|
Very informal speech
|
|
What happened was...
|
N/A
|
Rarely contracted
|
|
What it is is...
|
What it is's...
|
Dialectal/Informal
|
Meanings
A sentence structure used to focus on specific information by placing it after a 'What' clause and the verb 'to be'.
Emphasizing a Noun
Highlighting a specific object or person that is the focus of a desire, need, or action.
“What I really want for my birthday is a new laptop.”
“What she needs most right now is some peace and quiet.”
Emphasizing an Action
Focusing on a specific verb or activity, often using 'do/did' in the wh-clause.
“What I did was call the police immediately.”
“What you should do is talk to your manager.”
Correcting Information
Using the structure to contrast a previous statement or correct a misunderstanding.
“No, what I said was 'Tuesday', not 'Thursday'.”
“What I meant was that the project is delayed, not cancelled.”
Reference Table
| W-Wort | Beispiel Nebensatz | Betonte Information | Kompletter Wh-Cleft Satz | Art der Betonung |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
What
|
I need
|
more sleep
|
What I need is more sleep.
|
Objekt/Idee
|
|
What
|
she does
|
teach yoga
|
What she does is teach yoga.
|
Handlung
|
|
Where
|
we met
|
at the coffee shop
|
Where we met was at the coffee shop.
|
Ort
|
|
Why
|
he quit
|
because of stress
|
Why he quit was because of stress.
|
Grund
|
|
Who
|
wrote the song
|
Taylor Swift
|
Who wrote the song was Taylor Swift.
|
Person
|
|
How
|
you fix it
|
by restarting the computer
|
How you fix it is by restarting the computer.
|
Art und Weise
|
|
What
|
they wanted
|
a new challenge
|
What they wanted was a new challenge.
|
Objekt/Idee
|
Formalitätsspektrum
What is required is additional funding. (Financial request)
What I need is more money. (Financial request)
What I'm after is some extra cash. (Financial request)
What I gotta have is more dough. (Financial request)
Beispiele nach Niveau
What I like is tea.
What I want is a dog.
What he needs is water.
What she has is a pen.
What I need is a new phone.
What we saw was a big bird.
What they did was very nice.
What I don't like is rain.
What I meant was that I'm busy.
What happened was that I lost my keys.
What you should do is call her.
What I find difficult is the grammar.
What the government should do is lower taxes.
What I'm trying to say is that we need more time.
What surprised me most was his reaction.
What we are looking for is a creative solution.
What remains to be seen is whether the plan will work.
What I find particularly striking is the use of color.
What the data suggests is a significant shift in behavior.
What he failed to realize was the gravity of the situation.
What is perhaps most intriguing about this theory is its simplicity.
What the author is essentially grappling with is the nature of identity.
What we are witnessing is nothing short of a revolution.
What I would argue, however, is that the evidence is inconclusive.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners often don't know when to use 'It is...' vs 'What is...'.
Learners confuse 'What' with 'Which' or 'That'.
Häufige Fehler
That I want is water.
What I want is water.
What I like it is pizza.
What I like is pizza.
What I need are a pen.
What I need is a pen.
What I want was a car.
What I want is a car.
What happened it was a mistake.
What happened was a mistake.
What I did was called him.
What I did was call him.
What we need are more time.
What we need is more time.
What is important are the results.
What is important is the results.
Satzmuster
What I ___ is ___.
What happened was that ___.
What ___ is trying to say is that ___.
Real World Usage
What I can offer your company is a unique perspective.
What you don't understand is that I'm trying to help!
What we're going to see on the next slide is the growth chart.
What I meant was I'll be there at 8, not 7.
What this evidence suggests is a need for further research.
What I can do for you is offer a full refund.
Benutz „What“ ganz oft
What I need is more time.
Nicht übertreiben!
Check die Verben ganz genau
What I need is patience.
Kling einfach natürlicher
What he means is quite simple.
„Do/does/did“ für Handlungen
What she *does* is bake delicious cakes.
Smart Tips
Start your sentence with 'What we need to focus on is...' instead of 'We should focus on...'.
Use 'What I meant was...' to soften the correction and make it clearer.
Use a wh-cleft to introduce your most important finding.
Use 'What I love/hate is...' to make your opinion stand out.
Aussprache
Stress on the Focus
The most important word in the 'Focus' part of the sentence usually receives the strongest stress.
Pause after the Wh-clause
There is often a slight micro-pause after the wh-clause to build anticipation.
Rising-Falling
What I need (rising) is a break (falling).
Conveys a sense of completion and emphasis.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
W.I.F.E: What-clause, Is/was, Focus, Emphasis.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a spotlight on a dark stage. The 'What' clause is the dark stage, and the 'Focus' is the person who suddenly appears when the spotlight (the verb 'is') turns on.
Rhyme
Start with 'What' to set the scene, use 'is' to show what you mean!
Story
A detective is explaining a crime. He doesn't just say 'The butler did it.' He says, 'What happened was... the butler did it!' This makes the reveal much more dramatic.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write down three things you need right now using the 'What I need is...' structure.
Kulturelle Hinweise
In some British dialects, you might hear 'What it is, is...' used as a filler or to start an explanation.
Wh-clefts are very common in American political rhetoric to sound more decisive and clear.
Using wh-clefts is a sign of high-level academic writing, helping to define research questions clearly.
The use of 'what' as a fused relative pronoun dates back to Old English, where 'hwæt' could mean 'that which'.
Gesprächseinstiege
What is the one thing you can't live without?
What would you say is your greatest strength?
What do you think is the biggest challenge for our generation?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
What I love about this city ___ its vibrant nightlife.
Find and fix the mistake:
What he needs are a new perspective.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesWhat I really need ___ a cup of coffee.
Find and fix the mistake:
That I want is to go home.
I love her sense of humor.
___ is my ability to work under pressure.
What we need are more volunteers.
A: Did you say you were quitting? B: No, ___ was that I was taking a break.
is / what / most / important / honesty
1. I need help. 2. I forgot my keys. 3. I love pizza.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesWhere I want to travel next ___ Japan.
What she said were total nonsense.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Lo que realmente me molesta es el ruido de la construcción.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the beginnings with the correct endings:
Why he resigned ___ still a mystery to us.
What makes a great coffee are the quality of the beans.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Lo que necesito es un poco de paz y tranquilidad.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the beginnings with the correct endings:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
Usually, no. Instead of 'Who I need is you', we say 'The person I need is you'. 'What' is much more common for things and general situations.
Yes, the linking verb is almost always a form of 'to be'. You can use modals like 'What you need might be a rest', but 'is/was' are the standard.
It is both! It's very common in casual speech ('What I want is pizza') and in very formal academic writing ('What the data indicates is...').
In formal writing, yes: 'What we need are more resources.' In speech, most people just use 'is'.
It's just flipping the sentence: 'A coffee is what I need.' It's slightly less emphatic than the standard wh-cleft.
Yes, but they are less common. 'Where I want to go is Hawaii' is okay, but 'The place I want to go is Hawaii' is more natural.
We use 'do' to focus on an action. It allows us to put the main verb at the very end of the sentence for emphasis.
No. The 'What' clause is the subject, so adding 'it' is redundant and incorrect.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Lo que... es...
Spanish requires the article 'Lo'.
Ce que... c'est...
French often uses a double 'ce' (Ce que... c'est...).
Was... ist...
Verb agreement rules are stricter in German.
...no wa... desu
Japanese is a verb-final language, so the structure feels different.
Al-ladhi... huwa...
Arabic uses a personal pronoun as the 'bridge' instead of just a verb.
...de shi...
Chinese doesn't have a specific 'What' word for this; it uses the general nominalizer.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Verwandte Videos
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