Breakdown of Wir sind zu spät, um den Bewerber einzustellen.
sein
to be
wir
we
zu
too (e.g., too big)
spät
late
um ... zu
in order to
der Bewerber
the applicant
einstellen
to hire
Questions & Answers about Wir sind zu spät, um den Bewerber einzustellen.
How does the zu ... um ... zu structure work in this sentence?
This structure expresses that something is too extreme for an action to happen. Here, zu spät provides the "too late", and um ... einzustellen provides the action "to hire". Together, zu [adjective], um ... zu [infinitive] is the standard German way to say "too [adjective] to [do something]".
Why is the word einzustellen written as one word instead of um zu einstellen?
The verb for "to hire" is einstellen, which is a separable verb (ein + stellen). When you form a zu-infinitive with a separable verb, the zu is squeezed directly between the separable prefix and the main verb, and it is all written together as one single word: einzustellen.
Why is the applicant den Bewerber and not der Bewerber?
The applicant is the direct object of the verb einstellen (they are the person being hired). Even though the action is tucked away inside an infinitive phrase, verbs still force their objects into the correct case. Since Bewerber is a masculine noun, it changes from the nominative der to the accusative den.
Does the verb einstellen always mean "to hire"?
Not always! While it means "to hire" or "to employ" when talking about a Bewerber (applicant), it has other common meanings. Depending on the context, it can also mean "to adjust" (like changing the settings on a machine) or "to stop" (like discontinuing a project or service).
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