Breakdown of Wer zuerst feuert, hat schon verloren.
haben
to have
wer
who
zuerst
first
schon
already
verlieren
to lose
feuern
to fire (a weapon)
Questions & Answers about Wer zuerst feuert, hat schon verloren.
Why does the second part of the sentence start with the verb hat?
In German, the conjugated verb in a main clause must sit in the second position (the V2 rule). Here, the entire first clause (Wer zuerst feuert) acts as the subject and takes up the first position. Therefore, the verb hat must immediately follow it in the second position.
Does wer always mean 'who' as a question word?
Not always! When used at the beginning of a statement rather than a question, wer acts as a pronoun meaning 'whoever' or 'the person who'. You will frequently see this structure in German proverbs, rules, and conditional statements.
Why is zuerst used here instead of erste?
Erste is an adjective that describes a noun, like in der erste Schuss (the first shot). Zuerst is an adverb meaning 'first' in a sequence or 'before anyone else'. Because it describes how the action of the verb feuert is performed, you must use the adverb.
Could I use the verb schießen instead of feuern?
Yes, Wer zuerst schießt... works perfectly and means almost exactly the same thing. Feuern is the direct equivalent of the English 'to fire' (a weapon or projectile), whereas schießen means 'to shoot'.
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