Breakdown of Die Münze liegt auf dem Tisch, anstatt zu verschwinden.
der Tisch
the table
auf
on / to (down/up to a level)
liegen
to lie
zu
to (infinitive marker)
die Münze
the coin
anstatt
instead of
verschwinden
to disappear
Questions & Answers about Die Münze liegt auf dem Tisch, anstatt zu verschwinden.
How does the anstatt zu structure work in this sentence?
The word anstatt means instead of and starts the clause. The word zu is placed right before the infinitive verb verschwinden at the very end. Notice that English uses an -ing form (disappearing), but German just uses zu plus the basic dictionary form of the verb.
Could I say statt zu verschwinden instead?
Yes! The words statt and anstatt mean the exact same thing. You can use either one here without changing the meaning.
Why is it auf dem Tisch and not auf den Tisch?
The preposition auf takes the dative case when it describes a fixed location. Because the coin is simply resting on the table and not moving onto it, we use the dative masculine form dem. If someone were placing the coin onto the table, you would use the accusative den.
Is the comma before anstatt required?
Yes. In German, infinitive clauses that start with (an)statt, ohne, or um must always be separated from the main sentence by a comma.
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