German Infinitive with zu: Rules and Examples
Ich hoffe, die B1-Prüfung zu bestehen. Es ist interessant, Deutsch zu lernen. Ich habe Lust, morgen Tennis zu spielen. These are three examples of the German Infinitivsatz mit zu. In this B1.1 lesson, Luzi from YourGermanTeacher shows you when you can use it and how to build it.
The construction is common, easy to use and it improves your German. You use it after certain verbs, after nouns with haben and after adjectives with sein or finden.
1. After Certain Verbs
| Verb | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| anfangen | Ich fange bald an, Japanisch zu lernen. / Bald fängt es an zu regnen. | I'll soon start learning Japanese. / It will soon start raining. |
| vergessen | Ich habe vergessen, die Blumen zu gießen. / Vergiss nicht, pünktlich zu sein. | I forgot to water the flowers. / Don't forget to be on time. |
| vorhaben | Ich habe vor, morgen nach Berlin zu fahren. / Habt ihr vor, ein Auto zu kaufen? | I plan to go to Berlin tomorrow. / Do you plan to buy a car? |
| empfehlen | Ich empfehle dir, täglich fünf neue Wörter zu lernen. / Er hat mir empfohlen, weniger zu essen. | I recommend learning five new words a day. / He recommended that I eat less. |
| hoffen | Ich hoffe, bald gut Chinesisch zu sprechen. / Lisa hofft, die Prüfung zu schaffen. | I hope to speak good Chinese soon. / Lisa hopes to pass the exam. |
You can use the construction in any tense and in the imperative: Ich habe vergessen ... (Perfekt) or Vergiss nicht ... (imperative).
2. After Nouns with haben
| Expression | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Zeit haben | Ich habe keine Zeit, das Geschirr abzuwaschen. / Hast du Zeit, am Abend einzukaufen? | I don't have time to wash the dishes. / Do you have time to go shopping in the evening? |
| Lust haben | Ich habe Lust, nach draußen zu gehen. / Hast du Lust, einen Film zu sehen? | I feel like going outside. / Do you feel like watching a film? |
| Angst haben | Ich habe Angst, die Prüfung nicht zu schaffen. / Paul hat Angst zu versagen. | I'm afraid of failing the exam. / Paul is afraid of failing. |
| die Absicht haben | Ich habe die Absicht, Deutsch zu lernen. | I have the intention to learn German. |
Other common examples are Spaß haben and Probleme haben.
3. After Adjectives with sein or finden
| Expression | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| gesund sein | Es ist nicht gesund, stundenlang zu sitzen. / Es ist gesund, täglich Sport zu machen. | It's not healthy to sit for hours. / It's healthy to exercise daily. |
| erlaubt sein | Es ist nicht erlaubt, das Handy zu benutzen. / Es ist erlaubt, im Zug zu essen. | It is not allowed to use the phone. / It is allowed to eat on the train. |
| toll finden | Ich finde es toll, in dieser Firma zu arbeiten. / Lisa findet es toll, Deutsch zu lernen. | I think it's great to work at this company. / Lisa thinks it's great to learn German. |
| wichtig finden | Ich finde es wichtig, jeden Tag fünf neue Wörter zu lernen. | I think it's important to learn five new words every day. |
Notice the word es in these sentences. With sein you state something in general (Es ist gesund ...), with finden you give your personal opinion (Ich finde es wichtig ...).
Special Features of the Infinitivsatz
- No subject. The second part has no subject, so the verb is not conjugated. That is why it is called a subjectless subordinate clause (subjektloser Nebensatz).
- Verb at the end. It is a subordinate clause, so the infinitive with zu stands at the end: Ich habe vor, ein Auto zu kaufen.
- Main clause first. Always start with the main clause and then add the infinitive clause. You cannot say Japanisch zu lernen fange ich bald an (only Yoda speaks like that).
- Incomplete verbs. These verbs need more information: Ich schlafe is a complete sentence, but Ich hoffe is not.
- Separable verbs. The zu goes between the prefix and the verb: abzuwaschen, einzukaufen, not zu abwaschen.
The Same-Subject Rule: dass or zu?
Most of these verbs can also be used with a dass clause: Lisa hofft, dass sie die Prüfung schafft. The meaning is the same, but the infinitive version is shorter and sounds nicer. You do not have to conjugate a verb, which helps with irregular verbs.
But there is one condition: the subject must be the same in the main clause and in the subordinate clause. Ich hoffe, dass es bald regnet has two different subjects (ich and es), so you cannot say Ich hoffe bald zu regnen. And Lisa hofft, die Prüfung zu schaffen means that Lisa herself hopes to pass, not that Hans passes.
Bonus Tip: The Comma
According to the new German spelling rules, the comma before an infinitive clause is optional. Luzi suggests you always add it, because it helps the reader. The exception is a very short infinitive clause, which needs no comma: Ich habe Lust zu essen. or Ich habe Angst rauszugehen. If the clause gets longer, add the comma: Ich habe Angst, allein ins Ausland zu gehen.
Homework
Answer in the comments: Worauf hast du momentan Lust? For example: Ich habe Lust, joggen zu gehen.
What to Learn Next
Learn the most common verbs in Top 20 German Verbs with zu, compare with German dass Explained and read ZU oder UM ... ZU?. For the special verb brauchen, see Infinitivsatz: nur/nicht/kein brauchen + zu.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I use Infinitiv mit zu in German?
Use it after certain verbs (like anfangen, vergessen, hoffen), after nouns with haben (Zeit, Lust, Angst haben) and after adjectives with sein or finden (gesund sein, toll finden).
Where does zu go with separable verbs?
The zu goes between the prefix and the verb, written as one word: Ich habe keine Zeit, das Geschirr abzuwaschen. Hast du Zeit, am Abend einzukaufen?
Can I always replace a dass clause with Infinitiv mit zu?
No. Only if the subject is the same in both clauses. Lisa hofft, dass sie die Prüfung schafft becomes Lisa hofft, die Prüfung zu schaffen. Ich hoffe, dass es bald regnet cannot be shortened.
Do I need a comma before an infinitive clause with zu?
According to the new spelling rules the comma is optional. The video recommends using it, except in very short clauses like Ich habe Lust zu essen.
Why is it called Infinitivsatz?
The verb is in the infinitive and is not conjugated, because the clause has no subject of its own. It is a subjectless subordinate clause with the verb at the end.
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