Breakdown of Wir sollen dem Lehrer zuhören und die Regel beachten.
und
and
wir
we
der Lehrer
the teacher
zuhören
to listen (to someone/something)
Questions & Answers about Wir sollen dem Lehrer zuhören und die Regel beachten.
Why does sollen translate to 'are supposed to' here?
The modal verb sollen often expresses an expectation, a rule, or an instruction from someone else. Translating it as 'are supposed to' captures this feeling perfectly. You can also translate it as 'should,' but 'are supposed to' makes it clear that this is a direction coming from an outside authority.
Why is it dem Lehrer and not den Lehrer?
The verb zuhören (to listen to) is a special verb that always requires its object to be in the dative case. Since Lehrer is a masculine noun, the definite article changes to the dative form dem.
zuhören is a separable verb. Why hasn't zu moved to the very end of the sentence?
When a separable verb is used with a modal verb like sollen, the modal verb takes charge of the sentence structure. It pushes the action verb to the end in its full, unseparated dictionary form (infinitive). Therefore, zuhören stays together as one word.
How does the word order work with two action verbs like zuhören and beachten?
The modal verb sollen applies to both actions. Because the word und connects the two phrases, both verbs get pushed to the end of their respective parts of the sentence in their infinitive forms. It is just a shorter way of saying: Wir sollen dem Lehrer zuhören und wir sollen die Regel beachten.