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I understand "..der Zug abfährt" is an independent clause so it makes sense that it would have its own subject. I would just like to know the name of the rule/sentence structure that allows for/explains this so I can Google a long form explanation of it. Something about interrogative particles?

EDIT: The question is, how is it that both "ich" and "der Zug" are both the subject of this sentence

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  • Yes, it‘s the subject, and the subject is always in nominative case, never accusative. What’s your question exactly?
    – chirlu
    Jan 20, 2016 at 20:00
  • @chirlu How are "ich" and "der Zug" both the subject? What are the rules for sentences having more than 1 subject?
    – Ronald
    Jan 20, 2016 at 20:05
  • It’s two sentences, one main clause (ich weiß nicht) and one subordinate clause (wann der Zug abfährt), each having their own verb and their own subject.
    – chirlu
    Jan 20, 2016 at 20:12
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    On Stack Exchange, the idea is to have different questions for, well, different questions. I therefore removed the “random add-on question”. You can find more about how Stack Exchange works in the help center.
    – chirlu
    Jan 20, 2016 at 20:13
  • @chirlu Ok, thanks that answers my question(If you post it as an answer I will mark it as such). I was operating under an 'ends in ./?/!' definition of a sentence.
    – Ronald
    Jan 20, 2016 at 20:24

2 Answers 2

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The sentence consists of two clauses, one main clause (ich weiß nicht) and one subordinate clause (wann der Zug abfährt), each having their own verb and their own subject. Complex sentences can consist of many clauses.

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Here there are two clauses. The main clause is:

Ich weiß nicht

and the subordinate clause is:

wann der Zug abfährt.

In first clause, Ich is the subject. The second clause is an altogether different sentence with its own subject. The subject of main clause is related with the action to know and the subordinate clause has has the subject der Zug, which is associated with action abfahren. What the person doesn’t know is not der Zug. What he doesn’t know is when the train departs.

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