Breakdown of Es ist unmöglich, innerhalb der Firma zu arbeiten!
sein
to be
es
it
arbeiten
to work
die Firma
the company
zu
to (infinitive marker)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
innerhalb
within
unmöglich
impossible
Questions & Answers about Es ist unmöglich, innerhalb der Firma zu arbeiten!
How does the prefix un- work in unmöglich?
Just like in English, adding the prefix un- to a German adjective usually creates its exact opposite. Here, möglich means possible, so unmöglich means impossible. It is a very productive prefix, meaning you can easily attach it to many different adjectives and nouns to negate them without needing the word nicht.
Why is it der Firma here if Firma is a feminine noun?
This is because of the word innerhalb (within / inside of). It is a preposition that requires the genitive case to show location or relation. In the genitive case, the definite article for feminine nouns changes from die to der.
Why do we use zu arbeiten instead of just arbeiten?
This sentence uses an infinitive clause to explain exactly what is impossible. The main clause (Es ist unmöglich) is separated by a comma, and the action being described gets pushed to the very end of the sentence with zu (to) placed directly in front of the infinitive verb (arbeiten).
Does die Firma mean the exact same thing as a firm in English?
It is much broader! While firm is a fine translation, German speakers use die Firma as the standard, everyday word for almost any company or business, regardless of the industry or size.
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