Breakdown of Das Heimweh zu überwinden, ist oft schwierig.
sein
to be
oft
often
zu
to (infinitive marker)
schwierig
difficult
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
das Heimweh
the homesickness
überwinden
to overcome
Questions & Answers about Das Heimweh zu überwinden, ist oft schwierig.
Why does the verb ist come immediately after the comma?
The entire infinitive clause, Das Heimweh zu überwinden, is acting as the subject of the sentence. Because it sits in Position 1, the main verb ist must immediately follow it in Position 2 to satisfy German word order rules.
Is there another way to structure this sentence without putting the infinitive clause first?
Yes! You can use a dummy subject es in Position 1 and move the infinitive clause to the end: Es ist oft schwierig, das Heimweh zu überwinden. Both versions are common, but putting the infinitive clause first places more emphasis on the action itself.
Why does the English translation use "Overcoming" instead of "To overcome", and can I use an "-ing" form in German?
German does not have a gerund (an "-ing" verb acting as a noun) like English does. When you want to use an action as a subject, you typically use a zu infinitive clause or a capitalized nominalized verb. We translate it as "Overcoming" because it sounds much more natural in everyday English than "To overcome homesickness is difficult".
How is the noun Heimweh constructed?
It combines Heim (home) and Weh (pain or ache). It literally translates to "home-pain." You will also see -weh used as a suffix in common physical ailments, such as Kopfweh (headache) or Bauchweh (stomachache).
Do I absolutely need the comma after überwinden?
According to current German spelling rules, the comma is technically optional when an infinitive clause acts as the subject. However, it is highly recommended to include it, as it makes the sentence structure much easier to read by clearly separating the long subject clause from the main verb ist.
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