Breakdown of Habt ihr vor, eine herausragende Torte zu verzieren?
ein
a, an (eine)
ihr
you (informal plural)
die Torte
the cake
zu
to (infinitive marker)
vorhaben
to intend
verzieren
to decorate (embellish, ornament)
herausragend
outstanding
Questions & Answers about Habt ihr vor, eine herausragende Torte zu verzieren?
Why is this an infinitive clause with zu rather than a dass-clause?
We use the zu + infinitive construction because the subject of both actions is the same. The people planning the action (ihr) are the exact same people who will be doing the decorating. When the subjects match, German strongly prefers this shorter infinitive clause over a clunky dass-clause like Habt ihr vor, dass ihr eine herausragende Torte verziert?.
If I wanted someone else to decorate the cake, how would the sentence change?
If the subjects were different, you would be forced to use a dass-clause. For example, to say "Do you plan for us to decorate an outstanding cake?" you would write Habt ihr vor, dass wir eine herausragende Torte verzieren?. You cannot use the reduced zu construction when the actors change.
Why is the prefix vor placed right before the comma instead of at the very end of the whole sentence?
The main clause is actually just Habt ihr vor (from the separable verb vorhaben, meaning to plan or intend). A separable prefix goes to the end of its own clause, not necessarily the end of the entire sentence. The extended infinitive clause (eine herausragende Torte zu verzieren) acts as a separate structural block sitting outside that main clause.
What kind of word is herausragende, and why does it end in -e?
It is a present participle (from the verb herausragen, meaning to stick out or to be outstanding) functioning as an adjective. It takes the ending -e because it modifies a feminine accusative noun (Torte) following the mixed declension rules, which apply after an indefinite article like eine.
Is the comma before the infinitive clause mandatory here?
Yes. In modern German grammar, you must use a comma to separate an extended infinitive clause from the main clause. Because the infinitive phrase includes an object (eine herausragende Torte) along with zu verzieren, it is considered "extended" and requires the comma.
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