Breakdown of Ist es schwierig, die Sprache perfekt zu sprechen?
sein
to be
es
it
sprechen
to speak
perfekt
perfect / perfectly
zu
to (infinitive marker)
schwierig
difficult
die Sprache
the language
Questions & Answers about Ist es schwierig, die Sprache perfekt zu sprechen?
Why does zu sprechen go at the very end of the sentence?
This sentence uses an infinitive clause (a phrase that uses 'to' plus a basic verb, like 'to speak'). In German, the zu and the infinitive verb (sprechen) always get pushed to the very end of their clause. Any objects or adverbs, like die Sprache perfekt, must come before them.
Why is there a comma after schwierig?
In German, you use a comma to separate the main clause (Ist es schwierig) from the infinitive clause. Because the infinitive part contains extra words (die Sprache perfekt) along with zu sprechen, this comma is required to show where the new clause begins.
In English we say 'perfectly', but the German word is just perfekt. Don't German adverbs need a special ending?
Unlike English, which usually adds '-ly' to turn an adjective into an adverb, German keeps them exactly the same! The word perfekt acts as both the adjective 'perfect' and the adverb 'perfectly'.
Can I use this es ist ... zu pattern with adjectives other than schwierig?
Yes! The pattern es ist plus an adjective plus zu is incredibly useful. You can use it with words like einfach (easy), wichtig (important), or toll (great). For example: Es ist toll, dich zu sehen (It is great to see you).
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