Breakdown of Die zu zitierende Quelle ist sehr alt.
sein
to be
sehr
very
alt
old
zu
to (infinitive marker)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
die Quelle
the source
zitieren
to cite
Questions & Answers about Die zu zitierende Quelle ist sehr alt.
How exactly does zu zitierende translate to "that is to be cited"?
This is the Gerundivum construction. It is formed by combining zu, the present participle of the verb (zitierend), and an adjective ending. It packs a passive obligation or possibility into a single word before a noun. You can think of it as literally meaning "the to-be-cited source."
Why does zu zitierende end with an -e?
Because it functions exactly like a standard adjective describing Quelle. Since Quelle is a feminine noun in the nominative case, and it comes right after the definite article die, it takes the weak adjective ending -e.
Does this construction mean the source must be cited, or that it can be cited?
It depends on the context, as the Gerundivum can express either passive obligation ("must be done") or passive possibility ("can be done"). In this academic context with Quelle (source) and zitieren (to cite), it almost certainly means obligation: the source has to be cited.
How would I say this using a relative clause instead of the Gerundivum?
There are two common ways to rewrite this at the B2 level. You can use sein + zu plus the infinitive: Die Quelle, die zu zitieren ist, ist sehr alt. Or, you can use a full passive with a modal verb: Die Quelle, die zitiert werden muss, ist sehr alt. The Gerundivum is simply a more elegant and compact way to write this.
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