Breakdown of Die Leute drängeln, anstatt dass sie warten.
sie
they
die Leute
the people
warten
to wait
anstatt dass
instead of (+ subordinate clause)
Questions & Answers about Die Leute drängeln, anstatt dass sie warten.
Why is the verb warten at the very end of the sentence?
The phrase anstatt dass (instead of) is a subordinating conjunction. In German, these types of connecting words always kick the conjugated verb to the very end of their clause.
Could I use anstatt zu instead of anstatt dass here?
Yes, absolutely! Since the subject in both halves of the sentence is exactly the same (Die Leute and sie), you can drop the sie and use the shorter infinitive phrase: Die Leute drängeln, anstatt zu warten. This shorter version is actually much more common in everyday German when the subjects match.
Is there a difference between anstatt dass and statt dass?
No, there is no difference in meaning or grammar. anstatt and statt are completely interchangeable. You will often hear native speakers use statt dass simply because it is shorter and faster to say.
What kind of pushing does drängeln describe?
It specifically means to push, shove, or jostle in a crowd, traffic, or a queue. If someone cuts in line or pushes past you to get onto a train before people have gotten off, they are doing exactly what drängeln describes.