Word
Die Kultur zu akzeptieren, ist nicht immer einfach.
Meaning
Accepting the culture is not always easy.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Die Kultur zu akzeptieren, ist nicht immer einfach.
sein
to be
nicht
not
immer
always
einfach
easy / simple / simply, just
Questions & Answers about Die Kultur zu akzeptieren, ist nicht immer einfach.
Why does the verb ist come immediately after the comma instead of a subject?
The entire infinitive phrase Die Kultur zu akzeptieren functions as the subject of the sentence. Because this phrase takes up Position 1, the conjugated verb ist must sit right next to it in Position 2 to follow standard German word order.
Is the comma after akzeptieren strictly necessary?
Under current German spelling rules, commas separating an infinitive phrase are often optional. However, when the infinitive phrase is the subject and sits directly in front of the main verb like this, using a comma is highly recommended to clearly show where the subject ends and the main clause begins.
Why doesn't German use an equivalent to the English gerund (Accepting) here?
German does not have an active gerund form. When English uses an -ing verb as the subject of a sentence, German typically uses a zu infinitive clause. You could also use a nominalized verb, such as Das Akzeptieren der Kultur ist..., but the infinitive clause usually sounds more natural and less formal.
If I didn't want to start the sentence with the infinitive phrase, how would I rephrase it?
You would use the placeholder word es in Position 1, shifting the infinitive phrase to the end. The sentence would then become: Es ist nicht immer einfach, die Kultur zu akzeptieren.