Breakdown of Wir haben das Raubtier sofort zu füttern.
haben
to have
wir
we
sofort
immediately
füttern
to feed
das Raubtier
the predator
Questions & Answers about Wir haben das Raubtier sofort zu füttern.
How does the haben + zu + infinitive structure work here?
In German, combining the verb haben with zu and an infinitive verb (here, füttern) expresses a strict obligation or rule. It works very much like the English 'have to'. So, Wir haben ... zu füttern translates directly to 'We have to feed...'.
Could I just use müssen to say this?
Yes! You could say Wir müssen das Raubtier sofort füttern. The haben + zu structure is just another way to express obligation, though it often sounds a bit more formal, authoritative, or strict than müssen. Notice that if you switch to müssen, the word zu is dropped entirely.
Why is zu füttern placed at the very end of the sentence?
This structure follows the standard 'sentence bracket' rule in German. The conjugated verb (haben) stays in the second position, and the rest of the verb phrase (zu füttern) gets pushed to the very end of the clause, wrapping around the object and adverb (das Raubtier sofort).
Where does the word Raubtier come from?
It is a compound noun made of rauben (to rob or steal) and das Tier (the animal). Literally a 'robbing animal', it translates to 'predator' or 'beast of prey'.
Is füttern only used for feeding animals?
Mostly, yes. It is related to the noun das Futter (animal feed). You use füttern when feeding animals, though it is also the correct verb to use when feeding a baby or a small child.
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