German Phrase
Schau mal, ob es goldene Kanten hat.
Meaning
The sentence asks someone to check whether a particular item possesses golden edges. It combines a friendly command ('Schau mal') with an indirect question introduced by 'ob'. The focus is on the visual detail of the object's decoration.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are examining a product, piece of furniture, artwork, or any object where a golden trim might be present, and you want someone else to verify it for you.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Schaumal,obesgoldeneKantenhat.
Imperativ mit 'mal'
'Schau mal' is a colloquial imperative of 'schauen' softened by the particle 'mal', making the request sound friendly.
Einleitende Konjunktion 'ob'
'ob' introduces an indirect yes/no question, equivalent to 'whether' in English.
Subjektpronomen 'es'
'es' is the neutral pronoun referring to a previously mentioned object.
Adjektivdeklination
'goldene' is the weak declension of the adjective 'golden' used with the plural noun 'Kanten' in the accusative.
Verb 'haben' im Präsens
'hat' is the third‑person singular present form of 'haben', agreeing with the singular subject 'es'.
🗨In Conversation
Schau mal, ob es goldene Kanten hat.
Take a look to see if it has golden edges.
Ja, ich sehe sie. Sie glänzen wirklich schön.
Yes, I see them. They really shine nicely.
✕Common Mistakes
Schau, ob es goldene Kanten hat.
Missing 'mal' makes the command sound harsher; the colloquial tone is lost.
ob es hat goldene Kanten.
Word order in the subordinate clause must be verb‑final.
goldener Kanten
The adjective must agree in case, number, and gender; 'Kanten' is plural accusative, so 'goldene' is correct.
↔Alternatives
Sieh nach, ob es goldene Kanten hat.
Check whether it has golden edges.
Guck mal, ob es goldene Kanten gibt.
Look whether there are golden edges.
Kannst du prüfen, ob es goldene Kanten hat?
Can you check if it has golden edges?
Cultural Tip
In German, adding 'mal' to an imperative (e.g., 'Schau mal') makes the request sound less demanding and more conversational. This particle is very common in everyday speech but is usually avoided in formal writing. Also, remember to place a comma before 'ob' because it introduces a subordinate clause.