German · B1 · Family moment
Less waste at school in German
Talk about small changes that reduce waste at school. Use statt ... zu to say what you choose to do instead of another action.
What you'll learn
- Suggest practical ways to reuse, repair and share school supplies.
- Use statt ... zu when the same person or group performs either action.
- Place zu correctly with ordinary and separable infinitives.
German phrases for less waste at school
Wir können diese Flasche nachfüllen, statt eine neue zu kaufen.
We can refill this bottle instead of buying another one.
Both actions refer to wir. Statt introduces the action we choose not to take.
Ich benutze beide Seiten, statt ein neues Blatt zu nehmen.
I use both sides instead of taking a new sheet.
The alternative action ends with zu nehmen.
Lass uns die Schachtel behalten, statt sie wegzuwerfen.
Let's keep the box instead of throwing it away.
With wegwerfen, zu goes between weg and werfen: wegzuwerfen.
Du kannst dir ein Lineal leihen, statt eins zu kaufen.
You can borrow a ruler instead of buying one.
Du is the understood subject of both borrowing and buying.
Wir könnten Bücher tauschen, statt weitere zu bestellen.
We could swap books instead of ordering more.
Statt weitere zu bestellen gives the alternative to swapping.
Ich hebe die Papierreste auf, statt sie in den Mülleimer zu werfen.
I save the scraps instead of putting them in the bin.
Papierreste makes clear that these are leftover pieces of paper.
Lass uns die Mappe reparieren, statt sie zu ersetzen.
Let's mend the folder instead of replacing it.
The invitation includes the same group for both possible actions.
Wir können uns den Kleber teilen, statt eine weitere Tube zu öffnen.
We can share the glue instead of opening another tube.
The statt clause ends with zu öffnen.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
die Flasche
bottle
Plural: die Flaschen.
die Seite
side; page
Plural: die Seiten. Beide Seiten means both sides of the paper here.
das Blatt
sheet of paper
Plural: die Blätter.
die Schachtel
box
Plural: die Schachteln. Often a small cardboard box.
das Lineal
ruler
Plural: die Lineale.
das Buch
book
Plural: die Bücher.
der Papierrest
paper scrap
Plural: die Papierreste. Usually used in the plural for leftover paper pieces.
der Mülleimer
bin; trash can
Plural: die Mülleimer.
die Mappe
folder
Plural: die Mappen. A folder for keeping loose papers.
der Kleber
glue; adhesive
Plural: die Kleber. Usually singular when referring to glue as a material.
die Tube
tube
Plural: die Tuben. A squeezable container for glue, for example.
Replacing an action with statt ... zu
Statt ... zu means 'instead of doing'. The main clause gives the chosen or suggested action; the statt clause gives the alternative that is not chosen. Use this structure when both actions have the same understood subject. Do not repeat that subject in the statt clause.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Chosen action + alternative | Main clause, statt ... zu + infinitive. | Ich benutze beide Seiten, statt ein neues Blatt zu nehmen. |
| Shared subject | wir ... , statt ... zu ... | Wir könnten Bücher tauschen, statt weitere zu bestellen. |
| Shared invitation | Lass uns ... , statt ... zu ... | Lass uns die Mappe reparieren, statt sie zu ersetzen. |
Word order and punctuation
Separate the statt clause with a comma. Put objects and other details after statt, then finish with the zu-infinitive. With a separable verb, insert zu between the prefix and the verb stem, writing the result as one word.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary infinitive | statt + details + zu + infinitive | statt eine weitere Tube zu öffnen |
| Separable infinitive | wegwerfen → wegzuwerfen | statt sie wegzuwerfen |
| Comma before statt | Chosen action, statt alternative action. | Lass uns die Schachtel behalten, statt sie wegzuwerfen. |
More examples
Ich repariere die Mappe, statt sie wegzuwerfen.
I repair the folder instead of throwing it away.
Ich is understood in both actions; wegzuwerfen contains zu.
Wir teilen uns das Lineal, statt ein neues zu kaufen.
We share the ruler instead of buying a new one.
Sharing is the chosen action; buying is the alternative.
Du kannst die Papierreste benutzen, statt ein neues Blatt zu nehmen.
You can use the paper scraps instead of taking a new sheet.
The statt clause has no repeated subject and ends with zu nehmen.