Breakdown of Wenn die Trauben reif sind, gilt es, sie rasch zu pressen.
sein
to be
es
it
sie
they
wenn
if / when (conditional, not a question word)
reif
ripe
die Traube
the grape
zu
to (infinitive marker)
es gilt, ... zu
it is necessary to (in 'es gilt, ... zu')
rasch
swift
pressen
to press (squeeze, compress)
Questions & Answers about Wenn die Trauben reif sind, gilt es, sie rasch zu pressen.
Why does the sentence use gilt es to say "it is necessary"?
The structure es gilt, etwas zu tun is a fixed impersonal expression meaning "it is necessary to do something" or "the task is to do something." It is a more formal or elevated way to express obligation, comparable to saying man muss.
Why is the word order gilt es rather than es gilt?
The sentence begins with the dependent clause Wenn die Trauben reif sind. Because this entire clause occupies the first position of the overall sentence, the main clause must start with its verb in the second position (gilt), which pushes the subject (es) right behind it.
What exactly does sie refer to here, and why is it used instead of ihnen?
The pronoun sie means "them" and refers back to die Trauben (the grapes). It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb pressen (to press). You would only use the dative ihnen if the specific verb required a dative object.
Could I use schnell instead of rasch here?
Yes, schnell means the same thing and would be perfectly correct. However, rasch emphasizes doing something swiftly and without delay. It also has a slightly more formal or literary tone, which matches nicely with the elevated style of es gilt.
Learn Wenn die Trauben reif sind, gilt es, sie rasch zu pressen and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free