Breakdown of Ziehen Sie Ihre Schürze an, während Sie das Frühstück machen!
machen
to make, to do
Sie
you (formal)
Ihr
your (formal)
das Frühstück
the breakfast
anziehen
to put on
während
while
die Schürze
the apron
Questions & Answers about Ziehen Sie Ihre Schürze an, während Sie das Frühstück machen!
Why does machen go at the very end of the sentence?
Because während (while) is a subordinating conjunction. It introduces a dependent clause, which forces the conjugated verb (machen) to the very end of that clause.
Does während always mean 'while' as in two things happening at the same time?
In this sentence, it shows simultaneous actions: wearing the apron and making breakfast. However, während can also show a contrast, similar to 'whereas' in English (for example: I like tea, whereas you like coffee). Here, the context clearly points to time.
I thought anziehen was a separable verb. Why are ziehen and an split up here?
That is exactly how separable verbs work in the imperative (command) form. In a formal command, the main part of the verb comes first (Ziehen), followed by the pronoun (Sie), and the separable prefix (an) gets pushed to the very end of the main clause, right before the comma.
Why is it Ihre Schürze and not just Ihr Schürze?
Schürze (apron) is a feminine noun (die Schürze). Because it is the direct object being put on, it is in the accusative case. For feminine accusative nouns, the formal possessive pronoun Ihr (your) takes the -e ending, becoming Ihre.
Learn Ziehen Sie Ihre Schürze an, während Sie das Frühstück machen and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free