Valency and cases
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The VALENCY of a verb refers to the type and number of COMPLEMENTS needed by the verb to make a meaningful and grammatically complete clause or sentence (see chapter 1). Complements are distinct from ADVERBIALS, even though they may sometimes look the same. Compare: Stefan wohnt in der Stadt.
wohnen place complement (*Stefan wohnt would be ungrammatical)
Stefan trifft in der Stadt seinen Freund.
treffen accusative object (in der Stadt is added information)
Complements complete the meaning of the verb and form an essential part of the clause or sentence.
Adverbials are optional extras, providing added information (e.g. about time or place) without being necessary to make the sentence meaningful (see 4.8–4.14). The concept of valency allows you to identify the main elements of a clause or sentence (remember that each clause has its own main verb with its own valency). Valency relates to the MAIN VERB of the clause, which conveys the action, not to an auxiliary or modal auxiliary verb. For example, in the following sentences it relates to the main verbs akzeptieren and kämpfen, not to the FINITE VERBS haben and müssen: subject akzeptieren accusative object Im letzten Moment hat der Regisseur kurz vor Beginn der Dreharbeiten das Angebot der Produktionsfirma akzeptiert. At the last moment the director (has) accepted the offer of the production company, shortly before the start of shooting. subject kämpfen prepositional object Der junge Fußballspieler muss jetzt nach seiner dritten Knieoperation um seine Karriere kämpfen. The young football player must now fight for his career following his third knee operation.
