Breakdown of Schneiden Sie bitte zuerst das Fleisch!
Sie
you (formal)
das Fleisch
the meat
bitte
please
zuerst
first
Questions & Answers about Schneiden Sie bitte zuerst das Fleisch!
What is the difference between zuerst and erst?
In German, zuerst means first in a sequence of steps (like a recipe: first do this, then do that). The word erst often means first in the sense of not until or only. Because this sentence is giving the first step in a set of instructions, we need to use zuerst.
Could I put zuerst at the beginning of the sentence?
Yes! You can say Zuerst schneiden Sie bitte das Fleisch! Putting a sequence word like zuerst at the front is very common and highlights the order of steps. Notice that the verb schneiden must stay in the second position, so the subject Sie comes right after it.
Why does this sentence start with the verb Schneiden?
This is a formal command or instruction, known as the imperative. When you tell someone what to do using the formal Sie, the verb always goes at the very beginning of the sentence, followed immediately by the pronoun Sie.
What case is das Fleisch here, and why didn't the article change?
It is in the accusative case because the meat is the direct object (the thing being cut). However, Fleisch is a neuter noun, and neuter nouns use the article das for both the subject (nominative) and the direct object (accusative). Only masculine nouns change their article to den in the accusative case.