English Translation
He should have known.
What is this sentence… i don’t think it translates well to the translation we were given. can someone explain it?
He would have been able to think of it?
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You use “es sich denken können” when something is obvious enough that you don’t need a hint or explanation:
- Weißt du was das ist? - Ich kann es mir denken.
- Do you know what that is? - I can imagine.
When used with the conditional “hätte”, it turns into a blame, a reproach. Something was so obvious, that it’s your own fault for not expecting it to happen. It translates to “could have guessed/figured it” or, like here, “should have known”.
- Ich hätte mir denken können, dass der Laden heute zu hat. Es ist Sonntag!
- I should have known the store is closed today. It’s sunday! (… and I walked all the way for nothing)
So I think the translation is good, and both sentences carry the same nuance.
You can also find “Ich hätte es wissen sollen”, which is more literal and more of an anglicism.
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