Breakdown of Wir müssen heute eine Entscheidung treffen.
wir
we
heute
today
müssen
to have to, must
eine Entscheidung treffen
to make a decision
Questions & Answers about Wir müssen heute eine Entscheidung treffen.
Why do we use treffen instead of machen for 'make a decision'?
In German, noun-verb combinations often use specific, fixed verbs that do not translate literally. While you make a decision in English, in German you literally hit a decision (eine Entscheidung treffen). Saying eine Entscheidung machen sounds very unnatural to native speakers.
Can I just say Wir müssen heute entscheiden instead?
Yes, absolutely! eine Entscheidung treffen and entscheiden mean the exact same thing. Noun-verb combinations like this one are often used in professional, formal, or written German to sound a bit more elegant, but both are grammatically correct and common.
Why is heute placed before eine Entscheidung?
German sentences generally place expressions of time (heute) as early as possible, usually right after the conjugated verb and before the direct object (eine Entscheidung). This follows the standard Time-Manner-Place rule.
Why does treffen go at the very end of the sentence?
The modal verb müssen takes the second position and pushes the main verb (treffen) to the end of the sentence. In noun-verb combinations, the noun (eine Entscheidung) stays in the middle of the sentence, while its partner verb gets sent to the very end.
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