Breakdown of Der Müll ist täglich aus der dunklen Küche zu entfernen.
sein
to be
aus
from / out of (made of)
die Küche
the kitchen
dunkel
dark
der Müll
the trash / the garbage
zu
to (infinitive marker)
täglich
daily
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
entfernen
to remove
Questions & Answers about Der Müll ist täglich aus der dunklen Küche zu entfernen.
How does the construction ist ... zu entfernen work in this sentence?
This is a passive alternative using a form of sein (here, ist) + zu + an infinitive (entfernen). It translates to "is to be removed" and expresses a strong necessity or obligation, similar to using a modal verb: Der Müll muss entfernt werden (The trash must be removed).
Why is it aus der dunklen Küche with an -n on the end of dunklen?
The preposition aus (out of / from) always forces the dative case. Since Küche is feminine, its article becomes der. Because this definite article already clearly shows the case, the adjective dunkel (dark) just takes the standard weak dative ending -en. (Note: the 'e' in dunkel drops out to make it easier to say, resulting in dunklen).
Why does täglich come before the kitchen in the sentence?
This is due to the standard German word order rule often called "Time, Manner, Place" (TeKaMoLo). The time element (täglich, meaning daily) should naturally come before the place element (aus der dunklen Küche, meaning from the dark kitchen).
Would a German speaker actually use the word entfernen for taking out the trash?
entfernen means "to remove" and sounds quite formal, authoritative, or clinical. It fits perfectly here because the sein + zu + infinitive structure is also often used for formal rules, leases, and written instructions. In casual, everyday speech, you are much more likely to hear den Müll rausbringen (to take out the trash).
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