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### A Trapped Situation

Let's set the scene: an elevator breaks down and you find yourself stuck (*feststecken*) or trapped (*eingesperrt*).

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### Formal Ability with "imstande sein"

To express ability, you normally use the modal verb *können*. In formal or emphatic situations, you can use **imstande sein** (to be capable / able).

Because *imstande sein* is a phrase rather than a modal verb, it pairs with a **zu + infinitive** clause. Conjugate *sein* in the main clause, add a comma, and place *zu* right before the infinitive at the end.

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### Formal Obligation with "gezwungen sein"

Similarly, instead of the modal verb *müssen* (to have to), express a strong obligation or necessity with **gezwungen sein** (to be forced / compelled). It also takes a **zu + infinitive** clause.

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To ask a question, simply invert the subject and the conjugated verb (*sein*) in the main clause. The *zu* + infinitive clause stays exactly the same.

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Formal modal alternatives (imstande sein, gezwungen sein)

adjective

adverb

auxiliary verb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Definite articles and gender (der, die, das)

Indefinite articles (ein, eine)

Regular verbs and statement word order (ich -e, er -t)

The second person (du -st, Sie -en)

Yes/No questions

The verb 'to have' (habe, hast, hat)

Plural pronouns and regular verbs (wir, ihr, sie)

Plural 'to be' and 'to have' (sind, haben)

Plural nouns and the plural article (die)

Sentence negation (nicht)

Noun negation (kein, keine)

Question words (wer, was, wo, wie)

Numbers 0 to 12 (null, eins, zwei)

The accusative case (den, die, das)

Indefinite accusative articles (einen, keinen)

Direct object pronouns (mich, dich, ihn)

There is / there are (es gibt)

Vowel changes: e to i/ie (er spricht, sie liest)

Vowel changes: a to ä (er fährt)

Weather and conditions (es regnet)

First- and second-person possessives in the nominative (mein, dein, Ihr)

First- and second-person possessives in the accusative (meinen, deinen, Ihren)

Third-person and plural possessives (sein, ihr, unser, euer)

Possession with names (Annas Auto)

Demonstrative pronouns (dieser, diese, dieses)

Expressing preference (gern, lieber)

Asking about direction and origin (woher, wohin)

Expressing ability (können)

Polite requests (möchten)

Expressing intention (wollen)

Modal verbs of obligation and permission (müssen, dürfen)

Separable prefix verbs

Adverbs of frequency (immer, oft, manchmal, nie)

The Dative case and definite articles (dem, der, den)

Dative indefinite and negative articles (einem, einer, keinem)

Dative personal pronouns (mir, dir, ihm, ihr...)

Dative verbs (helfen, danken, gefallen, schmecken)

Dative prepositions (aus, bei, mit, nach...)

Accusative prepositions (für, ohne, gegen)

Two-way prepositions for location (in, an, auf...)

Informal singular imperative (mach, komm)

Plural and formal imperative (macht, machen Sie)

Coordinating conjunctions (und, oder, aber, denn)

Simple past of sein and haben (war, hatte)

The perfect tense: regular verbs (gemacht, gespielt)

Past tense: irregular verbs (ge-...-en)

The perfect tense: mixed verbs (gebracht, gekannt)

The perfect tense with sein (ist gegangen)

The perfect tense: separable verbs (eingekauft)

The perfect tense: inseparable and -ieren verbs (besucht, studiert)

Informal singular commands (mach, lern)

Numbers 13 to 20 (dreizehn to zwanzig)

Counting by tens to 100 (dreißig, vierzig)

Telling time (Uhr, halb, Viertel, vor, nach)

Numbers 21 to 99 (einundzwanzig, zweiunddreißig)

Greetings and farewells

Thank you, sorry and good wishes

Everyday replies

Numbers 100 to 1,000,000 (hundert, tausend...)

Becoming and getting (werden)

The impersonal pronoun (man)

Indefinite pronouns (jemand, niemand...)

Time sequence prepositions (vor, nach, bei)

Time span prepositions (von... bis, seit, für)

Adverbs of sequence (zuerst, dann, danach)

Two-way prepositions for direction (in, auf, an...)

Directional adverbs (hin, her)

Placement verbs (setzen, stellen, legen)

Months of the year (Januar, Februar)

The four seasons (Frühling, Sommer)

Time prepositions and indefinite pronouns (an, in, um)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 19th (am ersten)

Ordinals 20th and beyond (-ste, -sten)

Placement vs. location verbs (stellen vs. stehen)

Accusative reflexive pronouns (mich, dich, sich)

Accusative reflexive verbs (sich freuen)

Dative reflexive pronouns (mir, dir, sich)

Dative reflexive verbs (sich etwas merken)

Ordinal numbers 11th to 19th (-te)

Temporal prepositions (an, in, um)

Double objects with nouns

Double objects with pronouns

The modal verb for advice (sollen)

Simple past of modal verbs (musste, wollte...)

Simple past of common irregulars (wurde, wusste, es gab)

Adverbial connectors of consequence (deshalb, darum...)

Subordinate clauses for statements (dass)

Question	Answer
to be stuck	feststecken
to lock in / trap	einsperren
We are stuck and are trapped in this elevator.	Wir stecken fest und sind in diesem Aufzug eingesperrt.
When the elevator got stuck, we were suddenly trapped.	Als der Aufzug feststeckte, waren wir plötzlich eingesperrt.
able / capable	imstande
to free / rescue	befreien
Except for the mechanic, nobody is able to free us.	Außer dem Mechaniker ist niemand imstande, uns zu befreien.
the intercom	die Gegensprechanlage
We are really not able to repair the intercom ourselves!	Wir sind doch nicht imstande, die Gegensprechanlage selbst zu reparieren!
forced / compelled	gezwungen
to hold out / persevere	ausharren
the claustrophobia	die Platzangst
We are forced to hold out here, although everyone except me has claustrophobia.	Wir sind gezwungen, hier auszuharren, obwohl alle außer mir Platzangst haben.
We are simply forced to hold out in the dark.	Wir sind eben gezwungen, in der Dunkelheit auszuharren.
the ventilation	die Lüftung
to suffocate	ersticken
The technician is able to repair the ventilation, otherwise we are in danger of suffocating.	Der Techniker ist imstande, die Lüftung zu reparieren, sonst drohen wir zu ersticken.
Because of the claustrophobia he was forced to breathe deeply in order not to suffocate.	Wegen der Platzangst war er gezwungen, tief zu atmen, um nicht zu ersticken.
Are you able to understand us through the intercom?	Sind Sie imstande, uns durch die Gegensprechanlage zu verstehen?
When we got stuck, the ventilation was unfortunately already broken.	Als wir feststeckten, war die Lüftung leider schon kaputt.
We are locked in here and absolutely not able to open the door.	Wir sind hier eingesperrt und überhaupt nicht imstande, die Tür zu öffnen.
Are we forced to wait for the fire department now?	Sind wir nun gezwungen, auf die Feuerwehr zu warten?
The technician is not able to free us.	Der Techniker ist nicht imstande, uns zu befreien.
to achieve; to afford	leisten
The team achieved a lot this year.	Das Team hat in diesem Jahr viel geleistet.
We cannot afford this rent.	Diese Miete können wir uns nicht leisten.

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