A2 → Grammar · Lesson 16 of 22

German Infinitive Clauses with Zu Explained

der Infinitiv mit zu

Before this lesson: make sure you've covered Comparative and Superlative first.

Some German verbs and expressions are followed by a second verb in its infinitive (dictionary) form, introduced by "zu" — similar to English "to" + verb ("I try to learn").

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Common expression	Example
versuchen, ... zu	Ich versuche, Deutsch zu lernen.
planen, ... zu	Wir planen, nach Berlin zu fahren.
vergessen, ... zu	Vergiss nicht, die Tür zu schließen.
Es macht Spaß, ... zu	Es macht Spaß, Deutsch zu lernen.

Separable verbs with zu

With separable verbs, "zu" slots between the prefix and the stem: anzufangen, aufzustehen.

German	English
Ich habe vor, früh aufzustehen.	I plan to get up early.

Memory trick: The zu-clause is always separated by a comma, and behaves like a subordinate clause — the infinitive sits right at the end.

⚠ Common mistake: Don't forget the comma before the zu-clause: "Ich versuche, Deutsch zu lernen", not run together without one.

🎯 Quick check

Where does 'zu' go with the separable verb 'aufstehen'?

German Infinitive Clauses with Zu Explained

See it in action

Separable verbs with zu

🎯 Quick check

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