Breakdown of Er ist in erster Linie Lehrer und erst dann Chef.
sein
to be
der Chef
the boss (male)
der Lehrer
the teacher
dann
then
erst
only, not until; first
in erster Linie
primarily, first and foremost
Questions & Answers about Er ist in erster Linie Lehrer und erst dann Chef.
What does in erster Linie literally mean, and how is it used?
It literally translates to "in the first line," but it is a very common fixed expression used to mean "first and foremost," "primarily," or "above all."
Why do we use erst dann instead of nur dann for "only then"?
You use erst rather than nur when "only" refers to a point in a sequence, timeline, or ranking (meaning "not until"). Because this sentence ranks his roles in a specific order, erst is required to show that logical progression.
Why is there no German equivalent for the word "a" before Lehrer and Chef?
In English, we say someone is "a teacher." However, in German, when you use the verb sein (to be) to state someone's profession, role, or nationality, you drop the indefinite article (ein) and just use the noun itself.
Would it be correct to use zuerst instead of in erster Linie here?
It would be grammatically fine, but it changes the nuance. The word zuerst usually refers to a strict chronological timeline (first he did this, later he became that). The phrase in erster Linie perfectly captures the figurative meaning of priority and importance rather than just time.
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