Breakdown of Die Toilette ist zu desinfizieren.
sein
to be
zu
to (infinitive marker)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
die Toilette
the toilet
desinfizieren
to disinfect
Questions & Answers about Die Toilette ist zu desinfizieren.
How do we know if ist zu desinfizieren means the toilet CAN be disinfected or MUST be disinfected?
The structure sein + zu + infinitive can express either possibility (can be) or necessity (must be). You have to rely on context. Since cleaning a toilet is usually a rule or instruction, it clearly means necessity here: it must be disinfected.
Could I use the regular passive voice for this sentence instead?
Exactly! You could say Die Toilette muss desinfiziert werden. The version with ist zu is just a slightly more formal way to say the exact same thing, which is why you often see it on instruction signs or in manuals.
How would I change this sentence to say the toilet HAD to be disinfected in the past?
You simply change the verb sein to its past tense form. The sentence becomes Die Toilette war zu desinfizieren.
Why is there no um before zu desinfizieren?
We only use um ... zu when we mean 'in order to' do something. In this sentence, zu is paired directly with ist to form the passive alternative meaning 'is to be'. If you added um, it would sound like 'The toilet is in order to disinfect,' which makes no sense.
Learn Die Toilette ist zu desinfizieren 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