Breakdown of Der Bewerber ist zu unerfahren, um die Aufgabe zu erfüllen.
sein
to be
zu
too (e.g., too big)
die Aufgabe
the task
um ... zu
in order to
der Bewerber
the applicant
unerfahren
inexperienced
erfüllen
to fulfill
Questions & Answers about Der Bewerber ist zu unerfahren, um die Aufgabe zu erfüllen.
How does the zu ... um ... zu pattern work in this sentence?
It translates to "too [adjective] to [do something]". The first zu means "too" (zu unerfahren). The second part uses um ... zu plus the infinitive verb (um die Aufgabe zu erfüllen) to express what is impossible because the applicant is too inexperienced.
Why is there a comma before um?
In German, infinitive clauses that start with words like um must always be separated from the main clause by a comma. This is a strict rule in German punctuation, unlike in English where we just write "too inexperienced to fulfill".
Why are the words zu erfüllen placed at the very end?
In an um ... zu clause, the verb always goes at the very end in its infinitive form preceded by zu. Any objects or extra details, like die Aufgabe (the task), must be placed between um and the zu + infinitive.
I know the verb sich bewerben means "to apply". Is Bewerber related to that?
Exactly! Der Bewerber is the noun form, meaning "the applicant". In German, you can often turn a verb into a person who does that action by removing the -en ending and adding -er.
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