German Phrase
Gase halten Wärme in der Atmosphäre fest.
Meaning
The sentence states that gases trap or retain heat within the Earth's atmosphere, a key concept in discussions about the greenhouse effect and climate change.
When to use
Use this phrase when talking about climate science, environmental policy, or any discussion about how atmospheric gases influence global temperatures.
✦Grammar Breakdown
GasehaltenWärmeinderAtmosphärefest
Nominative plural
"Gase" is a plural noun in the nominative case, serving as the subject of the sentence.
Verb + particle
"halten ... fest" is a separable verb phrase meaning "to retain"; the particle "fest" moves to the end in main clause word order.
Accusative object
"Wärme" is the direct object and therefore in the accusative case.
Preposition "in" with dative
When "in" indicates a location (static), it governs the dative case: "in der Atmosphäre".
Dative feminine noun
"Atmosphäre" is a feminine noun; its dative singular form is "der Atmosphäre".
🗨In Conversation
Wusstest du, dass Gase Wärme in der Atmosphäre fest halten?
Did you know that gases retain heat in the atmosphere?
Ja, das ist der Grund für den Treibhauseffekt.
Yes, that's the reason for the greenhouse effect.
✕Common Mistakes
Gase halten Wärme in das Atmosphäre fest.
The preposition "in" with a static location requires the dative case, not accusative.
Gase halten Wärme in die Atmosphäre fest.
If you mistakenly use the nominative "die Atmosphäre", the case agreement is wrong.
Gase halten fest Wärme in der Atmosphäre.
When using the separable verb, "fest" must be placed at the end of the clause.
↔Alternatives
Gase speichern Wärme in der Atmosphäre.
Gases store heat in the atmosphere.
Durch Gase bleibt Wärme in der Atmosphäre gefangen.
Because of gases, heat stays trapped in the atmosphere.
Atmosphärische Gase halten die Wärme fest.
Atmospheric gases keep the heat fixed.
Cultural Tip
In German scientific discourse, the phrase "Wärme festhalten" is common when describing the greenhouse effect. When discussing climate policy, it's useful to pair this sentence with terms like "Treibhauseffekt", "Kohlendioxid" and "Klimawandel". Be aware that "festhalten" can sound slightly technical; in everyday conversation you might hear "Wärme speichern" instead.