Breakdown of Der Wachmann braucht die Überwachungskamera, um das Schaufenster zu beobachten.
brauchen
to need
um
at (time)
zu
to (infinitive marker)
beobachten
to observe, to watch
der Wachmann
the security guard
das Schaufenster
the shop window
die Überwachungskamera
the surveillance camera
Questions & Answers about Der Wachmann braucht die Überwachungskamera, um das Schaufenster zu beobachten.
Why do we use um ... zu here instead of just zu?
In English, we often just say 'to observe' to mean 'in order to observe'. In German, when you want to express the purpose of an action, you must use um ... zu before the infinitive. While verbs like scheinen directly take a simple zu infinitive without an extra preposition, expressing 'in order to' always requires the full um ... zu structure.
How is the long word Überwachungskamera put together?
It is a compound noun made of Überwachung (surveillance or monitoring) and Kamera (camera). Notice the s in the middle. That is a linking letter called a 'Fugen-s' which is often used in German to smoothly connect two nouns, especially when the first noun ends in -ung.
What is the literal meaning of Schaufenster?
Schaufenster combines the root of schauen (to look) and Fenster (window). It refers specifically to a shop window or display window, where goods are laid out for people to look at from the street.
Could I use sehen instead of beobachten in this sentence?
You could, but it changes the meaning slightly. The verb beobachten means to observe, monitor, or watch carefully over a period of time, which makes perfect sense for a security guard doing their job. The verb sehen just means the general physical ability to see the window.
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