Breakdown of Danach ist die Küche zu wischen.
sein
to be
die Küche
the kitchen
danach
after that
zu
to (infinitive marker)
Questions & Answers about Danach ist die Küche zu wischen.
What grammar structure is "ist ... zu wischen"?
This is a passive alternative. The construction sein + zu + infinitive is used instead of a standard passive to express that something must or can be done. Here, ist ... zu wischen means exactly the same as the passive muss gewischt werden (must be wiped).
Since this lesson is about using "gehören" to express necessity, could we use it here instead?
Yes! You could say Danach gehört die Küche gewischt. Both are passive alternatives for necessity. The gehören + past participle version is more colloquial and very common in southern Germany and Austria, while ist ... zu wischen sounds a bit more formal or like a written instruction.
Does the "sein + zu + infinitive" structure always mean that something must be done?
It depends on the context! It can express necessity (must be done) or possibility (can be done). Because this sentence sounds like a list of chores, it clearly expresses necessity. If the sentence were Der Schmutz ist leicht abzuwischen, it would mean the dirt can be easily wiped off.
Why use wischen here instead of a general word like putzen?
Putzen is the general word for cleaning, but wischen specifically means to wipe or mop. In a kitchen, this usually implies wiping down the countertops or mopping the floor with a damp cloth, which is a specific step in the cleaning process.