Breakdown of Zuletzt braten Sie das Fleisch in der Pfanne.
in
in
Sie
you (formal)
das Fleisch
the meat
braten
to fry
Questions & Answers about Zuletzt braten Sie das Fleisch in der Pfanne.
Why is the verb braten before the subject Sie?
In German main clauses, the conjugated verb must be in the second position. Because the sequential adverb Zuletzt takes up the first position, the verb braten stays in position two, which pushes the subject Sie to the third position.
Could I use schließlich instead of Zuletzt here?
Yes, they are very similar! Both can mean 'finally' or 'lastly' when giving instructions. Zuletzt strongly emphasizes the absolute end of a sequence (perfect for the last step in a recipe), while schließlich can also carry the feeling of 'eventually' or 'after a long time'.
Why is it in der Pfanne and not in die Pfanne?
The word in is a two-way preposition. Here, it takes the dative case (der Pfanne) because it describes a fixed location where an action is happening. You would use the accusative (die Pfanne) if you were talking about a movement to a new destination, such as putting the meat into the pan.
Does braten mean 'fry' or 'roast'?
It can mean both! braten is the general verb for cooking something with direct heat and fat. To be specific, Germans often just add the location, which is why you see in der Pfanne braten (to pan-fry) or im Ofen braten (to oven-roast).