Breakdown of Offenheit zu zeigen, baut Vorurteile schnell ab.
schnell
fast, quickly
zeigen
to show
zu
to (infinitive marker)
das Vorurteil
the prejudice
abbauen
to reduce (stress, staff)
die Offenheit
the openness
Questions & Answers about Offenheit zu zeigen, baut Vorurteile schnell ab.
Why does the verb baut come immediately after the comma instead of a subject pronoun like es?
The entire infinitive phrase Offenheit zu zeigen acts as the logical subject of the sentence. Because this whole phrase occupies Position 1, the conjugated verb baut must strictly take Position 2, falling right after the comma.
Could I phrase this sentence with the infinitive clause at the end instead?
Yes! If you want to move the infinitive clause to the end, you need to use the placeholder es in Position 1 to keep the verb in Position 2: Es baut Vorurteile schnell ab, Offenheit zu zeigen. Putting the infinitive phrase first, as in our example, places stronger emphasis on the action of "showing openness."
How do you know how to conjugate the main verb when the subject is an entire phrase?
Whenever an infinitive phrase acts as the subject, German treats it as a single, abstract concept (equivalent to "it"). Therefore, the main verb abbauen automatically takes the third-person singular form: baut ... ab.
Is the comma after zeigen mandatory here?
Yes. While a simple infinitive with zu at the beginning of a sentence (like Zu lernen ist wichtig) doesn't strictly require a comma, an extended infinitive phrase—one that includes extra elements like the object Offenheit—must be separated from the main clause by a comma.
The English translation says "reduces," but doesn't abbauen normally mean "to dismantle" or "to mine"?
You're right about the literal meanings! However, abbauen is frequently used figuratively in German. When paired with negative concepts like Vorurteile (prejudices), Stress, or Ängste (fears), it means to "reduce," "break down," or "alleviate."
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