Subject Infinitive Clauses (zu)
When adapting to a new culture as an expatriate, you will often want to state that a specific action or process is challenging, helpful, or rewarding. To make an entire action the logical subject of a sentence—such as "Overcoming the language barrier" or "Showing openness"—you can use an infinitive clause.
You form an infinitive clause by grouping the objects and modifiers of the action together, and placing zu plus the infinitive verb at the very end of the clause.
There are two special verb cases to keep in mind:
- For separable verbs, zu is squeezed between the prefix and the main verb (for example, abzubauen).
- For reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun (like sich) sits at the beginning of the infinitive clause.
When you place this entire infinitive clause at the beginning of your sentence, it occupies Position 1. Because the clause takes up that first slot, the conjugated verb of the main clause must come immediately afterward to claim Position 2. You will separate the infinitive clause and the main clause with a comma.
| Overcoming the language barrier takes a lot of time. | Die Sprachbarriere zu bewältigen, braucht viel Zeit. |
| Integrating oneself here is indeed exhausting, but also very enriching. | Sich hier zu integrieren, ist zwar anstrengend, aber auch sehr bereichernd. |
| Reducing prejudices helps with integration. | Vorurteile abzubauen, hilft bei der Integration. |
| Understanding the unfamiliar way of life often takes many months. | Die ungewohnte Lebensweise zu verstehen, dauert oft viele Monate. |
| Showing openness reduces prejudices quickly. | Offenheit zu zeigen, baut Vorurteile schnell ab. |