German · C1 · Family moment
Reading the small print of an apprenticeship in German
Help your teenager examine an apprenticeship offer without making the decision for them. This unit focuses on formal German noun phrases such as die einzureichenden Unterlagen: documents that must be submitted. Learn to recognise what needs doing, what may be possible, and which details still need clarification.
What you'll learn
- Understand gerundive attributes expressing required or possible actions.
- Form zu + Partizip I attributes with the appropriate adjective ending.
- Distinguish passive gerundive meanings from ordinary active Partizip I attributes.
- Discuss an apprenticeship’s requirements while leaving priorities and decisions to your teenager.
German phrases for reading the small print of an apprenticeship
Welche der einzureichenden Unterlagen brauchen noch deine Unterschrift?
Which documents to be submitted still need your signature?
Einzureichenden identifies documents that need to be submitted, not documents already submitted.
Die zu erfüllenden Aufgaben sollten klar festgelegt sein.
The duties to be performed should be clearly defined.
Zu erfüllenden describes duties that are expected to be carried out.
Werden die einzuhaltenden Sicherheitsvorschriften während der Einarbeitung erklärt?
Are the safety procedures to be followed explained during induction?
Einzuhaltenden expresses a requirement: these rules must be followed.
Lass uns die zu klärenden Punkte auflisten, bevor du zusagst.
Let's list the points to be clarified before you accept.
Zu klärenden presents clarification as something still needing to be done.
Die zu erstattenden Auslagen sind in diesem Abschnitt nicht angegeben.
The expenses to be reimbursed aren't specified in this section.
Zu erstattenden identifies expenses due for reimbursement; it does not say they have already been repaid.
Passen die zu erwerbenden Fähigkeiten zu deinen langfristigen Interessen?
Do the skills to be acquired match your long-term interests?
Zu erwerbenden describes skills the teenager is expected to acquire through the apprenticeship.
Die einzuhaltenden Fristen scheinen sich mit dem Besuch der Berufsschule vereinbaren zu lassen.
The deadlines to be met look manageable alongside college.
Einzuhaltenden marks deadlines that must be met. Berufsschule is the vocational-school equivalent of college in this apprenticeship context.
Bei den auszuhandelnden Bedingungen legst letztlich du die Prioritäten fest.
The conditions to be negotiated are ultimately for you to prioritise.
Auszuhandelnden identifies terms still to be negotiated, while the sentence leaves the priorities to your teenager.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
die Unterlage; plural: die Unterlagen
document; paperwork
The plural is usual for application documents and supporting paperwork.
die Unterschrift; plural: die Unterschriften
signature
Deine Unterschrift means your signature.
die Aufgabe; plural: die Aufgaben
task; duty
Aufgaben erfüllen means to carry out duties or tasks.
die Sicherheitsvorschrift; plural: die Sicherheitsvorschriften
safety rule or regulation
Sicherheitsvorschriften einhalten means to comply with safety rules.
die Einarbeitung; plural: die Einarbeitungen
induction; initial job training
Usually singular when referring to the settling-in and training period for a job.
die Auslage; plural: die Auslagen
out-of-pocket expense
Usually plural in reimbursement contexts: Auslagen erstatten.
die Fähigkeit; plural: die Fähigkeiten
skill; ability
Fähigkeiten erwerben means to acquire skills.
die Frist; plural: die Fristen
deadline; prescribed time limit
Eine Frist einhalten means to meet a deadline.
die Berufsschule; plural: die Berufsschulen
vocational school
Provides the school-based part of many German apprenticeships.
die Bedingung; plural: die Bedingungen
condition; term
Bedingungen aushandeln means to negotiate terms.
Meaning: an action required or possible
A gerundive attribute combines zu with Partizip I and an adjective ending. Despite its Partizip I form, its meaning is passive: the noun receives the action. Context determines whether the action is required, expected or possible. The construction is common in contracts, instructions and other formal texts.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Required action | die + zu + Partizip I with ending + noun | die zu klärenden Punkte = the points that need to be clarified |
| Required action with a separable verb | die + einzuhaltenden + noun | die einzuhaltenden Fristen = the deadlines that must be met |
| Possible action | context indicating feasibility + gerundive attribute | ein leicht zu lösendes Problem = a problem that can easily be solved |
Formation and placement of zu
Use the Partizip I form, generally infinitive + -d, and add an adjective ending. With non-separable verbs, zu is a separate word. With separable verbs, insert zu between the prefix and the verb base and write the result as one word. Any additional material belonging to the attribute precedes the participial form.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Non-separable verb | erstatten → zu erstattend- | die zu erstattenden Auslagen |
| Separable verb | einreichen → einzureichend- | die einzureichenden Unterlagen |
| Another separable verb | aushandeln → auszuhandelnd- | die auszuhandelnden Bedingungen |
| Extended attribute | additional detail + gerundive attribute + noun | die bis Freitag einzureichenden Unterlagen |
Adjective endings on the gerundive
The gerundive takes the same endings as an adjective in that position. Choose the ending according to the noun’s case, gender and number and the determiner. Do not leave the participial form uninflected before the noun.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Definite article, plural nominative | die + gerundive ending -en | die einzureichenden Unterlagen |
| Indefinite article, feminine nominative | eine + gerundive ending -e | eine einzuhaltende Frist |
| Indefinite article, neuter nominative | ein + gerundive ending -es | ein zu klärendes Detail |
| No article, plural nominative | gerundive ending -e | zu erstattende Auslagen |
Distinguishing gerundive and active attributes
Ordinary Partizip I attributes describe the noun performing an action. Adding zu creates a gerundive with a passive, modal meaning: something must, should or can be done to the noun. It does not describe a completed action.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Partizip I attribute without zu | die prüfende Person = the person doing the checking |
| Passive and required | zu + Partizip I attribute | die zu prüfenden Unterlagen = the documents that need to be checked |
More examples
Welche der bis Freitag einzureichenden Unterlagen hast du schon vorbereitet?
Which of the documents to be submitted by Friday have you already prepared?
Bis Freitag belongs inside the attribute, before einzureichenden.
Eine noch zu klärende Frage betrifft die Arbeitszeiten.
One question still to be clarified concerns the working hours.
Zu klärende takes -e after eine with a feminine nominative noun.
Ist das für dich ein leicht zu lösendes Problem?
Is that a problem you can easily solve?
Leicht favours a possibility reading: something that can easily be solved. Lösendes takes -es after ein with a neuter nominative noun.
Du entscheidest, welche der auszuhandelnden Bedingungen dir am wichtigsten sind.
You decide which of the terms to be negotiated matter most to you.
The gerundive identifies the terms awaiting negotiation without assigning your teenager’s priorities.