Infinitive with zu
Infinitiv mit „zu“
The infinitive with zu is the German construction where an infinitive is introduced by “zu”: zu, um…zu, ohne…zu.
English already splits its infinitives in two: “I can go”, but “I hope to go.” German does the same, and zu is its “to”. After a modal verb the infinitive comes bare; after almost every other verb, zu slips in front of it. The moment you learn um … zu (“in order to”), your sentences double in length — the most visible win at B1.
The one question: zu or no zu
You already know that no zu follows a modal verb. This page covers everything else.
ShortcutIf the second verb sits at the end of the clause as an infinitive: if the first verb is a modal, there is NO zu; if not, there IS zu. There is no third option.
When a German sentence has two verbs, the second one always goes to the end and stays an infinitive. The only question is whether you put zu in front of it.
- Infinitiv ohne zu können · müssen · wollen · dürfen · sollen · mögen NO zu · THE SIX MODALS + werden, gehen, lassen, sehen, hören
- Infinitiv mit zu versuchen · vergessen · anfangen · hoffen · Lust haben… WITH zu · EVERY OTHER VERB
- um … zu “in order to …” — states a purpose SEPARATE SECTION
Ich will heute früh schlafen.
I want to sleep early today. — modal, no zu.
Ich versuche, heute früh zu schlafen.
I’m trying to sleep early today. — not a modal, so zu.
You already do this in English
English makes the same split — it just hides it. I can go (bare) · I forgot to go (with “to”). German’s zu is that little “to”. The rule about which verbs take it is close enough that your ear is a decent guide.
| English | German | What’s happening |
|---|---|---|
| I can go | Ich kann gehen. | modal → bare infinitive |
| I forgot to go | Ich habe vergessen zu gehen. | ordinary verb → zu |
| I came in order to go | Ich bin gekommen, um zu gehen. | purpose → um … zu |
| He left without paying | Er ist gegangen, ohne zu bezahlen. | negative → ohne … zu |
English “so that” and “in order to” look like two ways of saying the same thing. In German they are two different structures: um … zu and damit. You will see the difference in a moment — it is a classic B1 exam question.
Verbs that take zu: a group to recognise, not a list to memorise
You do not need to memorise them one by one — every verb that is not a modal belongs to this group. Still, it helps to see the most common ones, because these are the ones that come up when you speak:
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| versuchen | to try | Ich versuche, Deutsch zu lernen. |
| vergessen | to forget | Ich habe vergessen, dich anzurufen. |
| anfangen / beginnen | to start | Er fängt an zu arbeiten. |
| aufhören | to stop | Hör auf zu rauchen! |
| hoffen | to hope | Ich hoffe, dich bald zu sehen. |
| versprechen | to promise | Er verspricht, pünktlich zu sein. |
| vorhaben | to plan · to intend | Wir haben vor, umzuziehen. |
| Lust / Zeit haben | to feel like it / to have time | Hast du Lust, ins Kino zu gehen? |
Also, “it is …” patterns always take zu: Es ist wichtig / schwer / schön / verboten, … zu … — a very handy opening line in a written exam.
With a separable verb, zu goes in the middle
If the verb is separable, zu does not go in front — it goes right into the middle, and everything is written as one word.
Ich habe vergessen, dich zu anrufen.
zu was left outside.
Ich habe vergessen, dich anzurufen.
I forgot to call you. — an + zu + rufen, all one word.
Same logic every time: aufstehen → aufzustehen · einkaufen → einzukaufen · umziehen → umzuziehen · mitkommen → mitzukommen.
um … zu: the structure that lengthens your sentences at once
Wherever you would say “in order to …” or just “to …” in English (I get up early to catch the train), German uses um … zu. This structure earns the most points at B1 because it lets you add a reason to every sentence.
Ich lerne Deutsch, um in Deutschland zu arbeiten.
I’m learning German in order to work in Germany.
Ich stehe früh auf, um den Zug zu erreichen.
I get up early to catch the train.
um goes first, zu + infinitive goes last. Whatever is in between stays in the middle. And the comma is compulsory.
If the subject changes, um … zu does not work
This is the exam’s favourite question. In an um … zu structure both clauses must have the same subject. If the subject changes, you need damit — and damit is a subordinating conjunction, so it sends the verb to the end.
Ich erkläre es langsam, um du es zu verstehen.
The subject changed (ich → du) — um…zu cannot be used.
Ich erkläre es langsam, damit du es verstehst.
I’m explaining it slowly so that you understand it. — damit + verb at the end.
Ich lerne Deutsch, um es zu verstehen.
Same subject (ich = ich) — um…zu is correct.
Quick check: before you build the sentence, say the two subjects side by side. “I … I” → um … zu. “I … you” → damit. With the same subject damit is also correct but sounds heavy; um … zu is preferred.
ohne … zu and (an)statt … zu
The same pattern has two siblings, and English covers both with a single “-ing” form (“without paying”, “instead of learning”). In both, the subject must stay the same — the same rule as um … zu.
| Structure | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| um … zu | in order to … | Er geht zum Arzt, um sich untersuchen zu lassen. |
| ohne … zu | without …-ing | Er ist gegangen, ohne zu bezahlen. — he left without paying |
| (an)statt … zu | instead of …-ing | Er spielt, statt zu lernen. — he plays instead of studying |
In an ohne … zu structure you do not add nicht — the negation is already inside ohne. English works the same way: nobody says “he left without not paying”.
Er ist gegangen, ohne nicht zu bezahlen.
Double negative — wrong.
Er ist gegangen, ohne zu bezahlen.
He left without paying.
This trio has counterparts that take over when the subject changes: um…zu → damit · ohne…zu → ohne dass · statt…zu → statt dass. All three send the verb to the end.
The part nobody tells you: the comma has split in two
Since the 2006 spelling reform, the comma is optional with a plain zu clause. With um · ohne · statt, though, it is still compulsory. Textbooks usually never mention the difference.
| Sentence | Comma | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ich versuche zu schlafen. | optional | short, plain zu |
| Ich versuche, heute früh zu schlafen. | recommended | longer, for readability |
| Ich lerne, um zu arbeiten. | compulsory | um · ohne · statt |
Practical rule: if the sentence has got long, add a comma; with a one-word infinitive, leave it out — Hör auf zu rauchen! And wherever you see um · ohne · statt, always add it. If in doubt, add it: leaving it out where it is compulsory is a mistake; adding it where it is optional is not.
The second unspoken thing: in everyday speech brauchen has started to behave like a modal. The textbook says Du brauchst nicht zu kommen, but on the street you hear Du brauchst nicht kommen. The second is officially wrong yet common — in the exam, write the one with zu.
What you just learned
I am here “to” learn German: Ich bin hier, _____ Deutsch zu lernen.
Show the answer
um — To express “in order to”, the um ... zu pattern is used.
In sentences with modal verbs (müssen, können, etc.), zu always comes before the second verb.
Show the answer
False — In sentences with modal verbs, the second verb is used bare (without zu). The zu structure is used with other verbs.
Ich versuche, früh ___ schlafen.
Show the answer
zu. versuchen is not a modal, so the second verb takes zu. um zu does not fit here because there is no purpose.
What to do this week
This structure sticks by stretching your sentences. Five minutes a day, one exercise:
- Write down something simple you did today: Ich stehe früh auf.
- Add the reason: …, um den Zug zu erreichen.
- Build the same sentence again with a different subject: Ich wecke dich früh, damit du den Zug erreichst.
- And once more in the negative: Ich bin gegangen, ohne zu frühstücken.
- One day a week, work only with separable verbs: anzurufen · aufzustehen · einzukaufen · mitzukommen.
Next up: time conjunctions — the als · wenn · wann trio and the words that set the order of two events.
Build the sentence yourself
Tap the words and put them in order. This is the hardest part of German — and there are no options to pick from, you build it.
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tap the words
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tap the words
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tap the words
Know this before the test
The core of the topic in three lines, then the mistakes people make most often.
- In a two-verb sentence, the second verb takes zu
After structures like versuchen · vergessen · anfangen · Lust haben · wichtig sein, the second verb becomes zu + infinitive and stands at the end of the clause.
Ich versuche, früh zu schlafen.
- Purpose: same subject means um zu
In a purpose clause, if the subject stays the same, use um … zu; if it changes, use damit. damit never takes zu.
Ich lerne, um zu arbeiten. · Ich erkläre es, damit du verstehst.
- With a separable verb, zu goes in the middle
zu sits between the prefix and the stem, and all three are written as one word: anrufen → anzurufen, ausgehen → auszugehen.
Ich habe vergessen, dich anzurufen.
- After a modal there is NO zu
können · müssen · wollen · dürfen · sollen · mögen take a bare infinitive. The same goes for sehen · hören · lassen · gehen.
Ich will schlafen. · Ich gehe schwimmen.
Ich muss zu arbeiten.
Ich muss arbeiten.
After a modal verb the infinitive stands bare; no zu is added.
Ich habe vergessen, dich zu anrufen.
Ich habe vergessen, dich anzurufen.
With a separable verb, zu goes in the middle, not in front, and the word is written as one.
Ich erkläre es, damit du zu verstehen.
Ich erkläre es, damit du verstehst.
damit is an ordinary subordinating conjunction: it wants a conjugated verb, not zu.
Er spielt, statt lernen.
Er spielt, statt zu lernen.
statt and ohne also need zu + infinitive.
Test yourself
Tap an answer — we will look at why together.
Ich versuche, früh schlafen.
I’m trying to sleep early.
Ich habe vergessen, dich .
I forgot to call you.
Ich erkläre es langsam, du es verstehst.
erklären = to explain
Er ist gegangen, zu bezahlen.
bezahlen = to pay
Ich will heute früh .
I want to sleep early today.
Which one is correct?
Practice done — –
To finish the topic, take the full test: score 60% and it is marked as done on your level path.
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Infinitive with zu worksheet
This whole page — tables, traps, examples — as one PDF. Download it, print it, run through it before the exam.
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