German Phrase
Ja, ein alter Router kann die Geschwindigkeit drosseln.
Meaning
The sentence confirms that an old router is capable of limiting (throttling) the internet speed. ‘Drosseln’ implies a deliberate reduction, often due to outdated hardware or firmware settings.
When to use
Use this phrase when discussing network performance, troubleshooting slow connections, or explaining why a home Wi‑Fi might feel sluggish because of old equipment.
✦Grammar Breakdown
JaeinalterRouterkanndieGeschwindigkeitdrosseln.
Ja (affirmation)
Used at the beginning of a sentence to confirm or agree with a previous statement.
Indefinite article + adjective declension
‘ein’ + masculine noun ‘Router’ takes the weak ending ‘-er’ on the adjective ‘alter’ in the nominative singular.
Modal verb ‘kann’
‘kann’ is the 3rd‑person singular present of ‘können’ and is followed by an infinitive without ‘zu’.
Object case
‘die Geschwindigkeit’ is accusative; the definite article ‘die’ stays the same for feminine nouns.
Verb ‘drosseln’
Means ‘to throttle, to limit speed’; it takes a direct object and is common in tech jargon.
🗨In Conversation
Warum ist unser Internet so langsam?
Why is our internet so slow?
Ja, ein alter Router kann die Geschwindigkeit drosseln.
Yes, an old router can throttle the speed.
✕Common Mistakes
Ja, ein alter Router kann der Geschwindigkeit drosseln.
‘Geschwindigkeit’ is feminine, so the correct accusative article is ‘die’, not ‘der’.
Ja, ein altes Router kann die Geschwindigkeit drosseln.
‘Router’ is masculine; the adjective must take the weak masculine ending ‘-er’ after ‘ein’.
Ja, ein alter Router kann zu drosseln die Geschwindigkeit.
Modal verbs are followed directly by the infinitive without ‘zu’.
↔Alternatives
Ja, ein veralteter Router kann die Geschwindigkeit verlangsamen.
Yes, an outdated router can slow down the speed.
Ja, ein alter Router kann die Bandbreite einschränken.
Yes, an old router can limit the bandwidth.
Ja, ein alter Router kann die Datenrate drosseln.
Yes, an old router can throttle the data rate.
Cultural Tip
In German tech talk, ‘Router’ is a borrowed English noun and is masculine (der Router). The verb ‘drosseln’ is frequently used by IT professionals when talking about intentional speed limits, such as ISP throttling, but it also applies to hardware that unintentionally limits performance due to age.