Breakdown of Es ist schwierig, das Ziel zu erreichen.
sein
to be
es
it
das Ziel
the goal
zu
to (infinitive marker)
Questions & Answers about Es ist schwierig, das Ziel zu erreichen.
Why does zu erreichen go at the very end of the sentence?
In German infinitive clauses, the zu and the infinitive verb always go at the very end. That means any objects or extra information, like das Ziel, must come before zu erreichen.
Why is there a comma after schwierig?
In German, you use a comma to separate the main idea (Es ist schwierig) from the extra zu clause (das Ziel zu erreichen). We don't use a comma for this in English, but German uses it to clearly split the two parts of the sentence.
Why do we use zu here, but not when saying something like 'I can achieve the goal'?
When you use a modal verb like können (can) or müssen (must), you just put the plain verb at the end without zu. However, with descriptive phrases like Es ist schwierig (It is difficult) or Ich habe Lust (I feel like), you have to use zu before the verb at the end.
What case is das Ziel in this sentence?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object being achieved. Because Ziel is a neuter noun, its accusative article remains das, which is why it looks exactly the same as the nominative (subject) form.