German · B1 · Family moment
Ready Without Reminders in German
Help your child prepare for school independently with practical, encouraging German phrases. Use um ... zu to explain the purpose of an action when both actions share the same subject.
What you'll learn
- Talk about small preparations that make the school day easier.
- Use um ... zu plus an infinitive to explain why someone does something.
- Recognize when different subjects call for damit instead.
German phrases for ready without reminders
Du kannst eine Checkliste schreiben, um die Materialien für dein Projekt nicht zu vergessen.
You can write a checklist to remember your project materials.
German naturally expresses this purpose as 'not to forget.' You both write the checklist and remember the materials.
Ich schaue in den Schulkalender, um unsere Woche zu planen.
I check the school calendar to plan our week.
In den Schulkalender schauen means to consult the school calendar. Ich is the subject of both actions.
Du kannst heute Abend deine Sportsachen einpacken, um morgen Zeit zu sparen.
You can pack your sports clothes tonight to save time tomorrow.
Heute Abend means 'tonight' in the sense of 'this evening.' Zeit sparen means 'to save time.'
Wir können deine Ordner beschriften, um wichtige Unterlagen schneller zu finden.
We can label your folders to find important papers more quickly.
Wir makes this a shared task. Schneller means 'more quickly.'
Du kannst dir einen Wecker stellen, um rechtzeitig aufzuwachen.
You can set an alarm to wake up on time.
Sich einen Wecker stellen is a natural way to say 'set an alarm.' Aufwachen becomes aufzuwachen after um.
Du kannst den Busfahrplan prüfen, um eine lange Wartezeit zu vermeiden.
You can check the bus timetable to avoid a long wait.
Eine lange Wartezeit vermeiden means 'to avoid a long wait.'
Ich lege mein Handy weg, um mich auf deine Präsentation zu konzentrieren.
I put my phone away to concentrate on your presentation.
Sich auf etwas konzentrieren means 'to concentrate on something.' With ich, the reflexive pronoun is mich.
Ich lasse die Checkliste neben der Tür liegen, damit du deine Tasche selbst kontrollieren kannst.
I leave the checklist by the door so that you can check your bag yourself.
The subjects change from ich to du, so damit is needed here. Selbst emphasizes that your child checks the bag independently.
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 Checkliste, die Checklisten
checklist
Eine Checkliste schreiben means 'to write a checklist.'
die Sportsachen
sports clothes; sports kit
Used in the plural for clothing and other things needed for sport.
der Ordner, die Ordner
folder; binder
A folder for loose papers may also be called eine Mappe.
die Unterlagen
papers; documents
Commonly used in the plural for important paperwork.
sich einen Wecker stellen
to set an alarm
Use ich stelle mir or du stellst dir when setting an alarm for yourself.
rechtzeitig
on time; in time
Emphasizes being early enough to do what is needed.
das Handy, die Handys
mobile phone; cell phone
An everyday German noun, not the English adjective 'handy.'
Explaining purpose with um ... zu
Use um ... zu to answer 'What for?' when the person or group doing the main action also does the purpose action. Do not repeat the subject in the purpose clause. Put a comma before um and the zu-infinitive at the end.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pattern | Main clause, um + other information + zu + infinitive. | Ich schaue in den Schulkalender, um unsere Woche zu planen. |
| With können in the main clause | Subject + können + other information + infinitive, um ... zu + infinitive. | Wir können deine Ordner beschriften, um wichtige Unterlagen schneller zu finden. |
| Negative purpose | um + other information + nicht zu + infinitive | Du kannst eine Checkliste schreiben, um die Materialien für dein Projekt nicht zu vergessen. |
Verb details inside the purpose clause
With separable verbs, put zu between the prefix and the verb stem. Reflexive verbs keep their reflexive pronoun, even though the subject is not repeated.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Separable verb | aufwachen → aufzuwachen | Du kannst dir einen Wecker stellen, um rechtzeitig aufzuwachen. |
| Reflexive verb | sich konzentrieren → um mich / dich / uns ... zu konzentrieren | Ich lege mein Handy weg, um mich auf deine Präsentation zu konzentrieren. |
Quick contrast with damit
Um ... zu is the compact choice when both actions share a subject. Damit can also be used with the same subject, but it is needed instead of um ... zu when the purpose has a different subject.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Same subject: ich → ich | um ... zu | Ich schreibe eine Checkliste, um nichts zu vergessen. |
| Different subjects: ich → du | damit + subject + ... + conjugated verb | Ich schreibe eine Checkliste, damit du nichts vergisst. |
More examples
Du kannst deine Tasche heute Abend packen, um morgen mehr Zeit zu haben.
You can pack your bag tonight to have more time tomorrow.
Du is understood as the subject of both packen and haben.
Ich stelle mir einen Wecker, um rechtzeitig aufzuwachen.
I set an alarm to wake up on time.
With ich, use mir in the main clause. The purpose clause uses the separable zu-infinitive aufzuwachen.
Ich lege mein Handy weg, damit du in Ruhe üben kannst.
I put my phone away so that you can practise in peace.
Ich puts the phone away, but du practises: use damit.