German · B1 · Everyday language
Intentions Into Action in German
Practise talking about plans, attempts, hopes and forgotten tasks in everyday family life. Learn how German uses dependent zu-infinitive phrases after versuchen, planen, hoffen and vergessen.
What you'll learn
- Describe what someone is trying, planning or hoping to do.
- Talk about something someone forgot to do.
- Place zu correctly with ordinary and separable verbs.
- Distinguish dependent infinitive complements from purpose clauses with um … zu and omission clauses with ohne … zu.
German phrases for intentions into action
Du versuchst, deine Hausaufgaben vor dem Fußballtraining fertigzumachen.
You are trying to finish your homework before football practice.
German uses the simple present for ‘are trying’. Fertigmachen is separable: fertig + zu + machen.
Ich versuche, zuzuhören, ohne dich zu unterbrechen.
I am trying to listen without interrupting you.
Zuzuhören completes versuche. Ohne dich zu unterbrechen is a separate clause meaning ‘without interrupting you’.
Wir planen, zwei Freunde zum Übernachten einzuladen.
We are planning to invite two friends for a sleepover.
Einladen becomes einzuladen. Zum Übernachten means ‘for a sleepover’ or ‘to stay overnight’.
Du planst, dein Zimmer aufzuräumen, bevor deine Freunde kommen.
You are planning to tidy your room before your friends arrive.
Aufräumen becomes aufzuräumen. The clause with bevor has its own subject and puts the conjugated verb kommen last.
Ich hoffe, dich nach dem AG-Treffen pünktlich abzuholen.
I hope to pick you up on time after the club meeting.
Abholen becomes abzuholen. AG-Treffen suits a school club meeting; AG is short for Arbeitsgemeinschaft.
Wir hoffen, das neue Brettspiel dieses Wochenende auszuprobieren.
We hope to try out the new board game this weekend.
Ausprobieren becomes auszuprobieren. Dieses Wochenende means ‘this weekend’.
Du hast vergessen, das Tablet vor dem Abendessen auszuschalten.
You forgot to switch off the tablet before dinner.
Hast vergessen is the conversational past form. Ausschalten becomes auszuschalten.
Ich habe vergessen, die Einverständniserklärung mitzubringen.
I forgot to bring the permission form.
Mitbringen becomes mitzubringen. The infinitive describes the task that was forgotten.
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
versuchen
to try; to attempt
Use versuchen + zu-infinitive for trying to do something.
planen
to plan
Use planen + zu-infinitive to describe a planned action.
hoffen
to hope
Use hoffen + zu-infinitive when the person hoping will also perform the hoped-for action.
vergessen
to forget
The conversational past is haben + vergessen: Ich habe vergessen.
zuhören
to listen
A separable verb whose prefix is already zu-. Its zu-infinitive is zuzuhören.
zum Übernachten
for a sleepover; to stay overnight
Übernachten is used as a noun here, so it is capitalised. Zum is short for zu dem.
die Einverständniserklärung
permission form; consent declaration
A document a parent may sign to give permission for a trip or activity.
Dependent zu-infinitive complements
After versuchen, planen, hoffen and vergessen, an infinitive phrase can name the action being attempted, planned, hoped for or forgotten. In these sentences, the main-clause subject also performs the infinitive action. Do not repeat that subject in the infinitive phrase. Separate the phrase from the main clause with a comma.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Attempt | versuchen, … zu + infinitive | Ich versuche, die Aufgabe zu lösen. |
| Plan | planen, … zu + infinitive | Wir planen, zusammen zu kochen. |
| Hope | hoffen, … zu + infinitive | Ich hoffe, pünktlich zu kommen. |
| Forgotten task | haben + vergessen, … zu + infinitive | Ich habe vergessen, das Formular zu unterschreiben. |
Where zu goes
With an ordinary infinitive, zu is a separate word directly before the verb. With a separable verb, insert zu between the prefix and the verb stem, and write everything as one word. The infinitive usually comes at the end of its phrase.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary verb | unterbrechen → zu unterbrechen | Ich versuche, dich nicht zu unterbrechen. |
| Separable verb | aufräumen → aufzuräumen | Du planst, dein Zimmer aufzuräumen. |
| Separable verb | mitbringen → mitzubringen | Ich habe vergessen, das Formular mitzubringen. |
| Prefix zu- | zuhören → zuzuhören | Ich versuche, zuzuhören. |
Complements, purpose and omission
A dependent complement tells us what someone tries, plans, hopes or forgets to do. Um … zu adds a purpose: ‘in order to’. Ohne … zu describes something that does not happen alongside the main action: ‘without doing’. These structures have different jobs and are not interchangeable.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Complement: what is attempted? | versuchen, … zu | Ich versuche, zuzuhören. |
| Purpose: why? | um … zu | Ich höre zu, um dich besser zu verstehen. |
| Omission: without doing what? | ohne … zu | Ich höre zu, ohne dich zu unterbrechen. |
More examples
Ich versuche, die Aufgabe zu lösen.
I am trying to solve the task.
The infinitive phrase names the action being attempted.
Ich höre zu, um dich besser zu verstehen.
I am listening in order to understand you better.
Um … zu explains the purpose of listening.
Ich höre zu, ohne dich zu unterbrechen.
I am listening without interrupting you.
Ohne … zu says that interrupting does not happen while listening.