Breakdown of Er braucht das Zeugnis, um an der Universität zu studieren.
er
he
brauchen
to need
an
at, on (vertical) / to (addressee) / of (in quantity/stock expressions)
studieren
to study
die Universität
the university
zu
to (infinitive marker)
um ... zu
in order to
das Zeugnis
the report card / the certificate (school or work)
Questions & Answers about Er braucht das Zeugnis, um an der Universität zu studieren.
How does the um ... zu structure work in this sentence?
It translates to 'in order to'. The word um starts the purpose clause, and zu comes right before the infinitive verb (studieren) at the very end. In English, we often just say 'to study', but German requires um ... zu to clearly show a goal or purpose.
Does the comma always have to be there before um?
Yes! In German, an infinitive clause expressing purpose with um ... zu must always be separated from the main clause (Er braucht das Zeugnis) by a comma.
Why does it say an der Universität instead of an die Universität?
The word an is a two-way preposition. Here, it takes the dative case because it describes a fixed location answering the question 'where?' (at the university), rather than movement towards a new destination. Since Universität is feminine, the article changes from die to der in the dative case.
What exactly is a Zeugnis?
A Zeugnis is an official certificate, report card, or transcript. In this context, it refers to the graduation certificate or school records required to apply for university studies in Germany.
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