Bitte ruf mich morgen an, wenn du mit der Arbeit fertig bist.

to be

Breakdown of Bitte ruf mich morgen an, wenn du mit der Arbeit fertig bist.

• mit: with
• du: you
• morgen: tomorrow
• die Arbeit: the work
• mich: me
• anrufen: to call
• bitte: please
• wenn: when
• fertig: done

Questions & Answers about Bitte ruf mich morgen an, wenn du mit der Arbeit fertig bist.

Why is the verb anrufen split into parts in this sentence?

Anrufen is a separable prefix verb. In the imperative form, the stem ruf is used at the beginning, while the prefix an is moved to the end. This is why the sentence is structured as ruf mich morgen an.

Why is mich used instead of mir after ruf?

The verb anrufen takes a direct object, which in German uses the accusative case. The pronoun ich changes to mich in the accusative. Therefore, ruf mich morgen an correctly uses mich as the object of the call.

What role does Bitte play at the beginning of the sentence?

Bitte means please and is used to soften the command, turning it into a polite request. It sets a courteous tone for the instruction that follows.

Why is the subordinate clause wenn du mit der Arbeit fertig bist structured with the verb at the end?

In German, subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions such as wenn require the finite verb to be placed at the end of the clause. That is why bist appears after the phrase mit der Arbeit fertig.

How does the phrase mit der Arbeit fertig convey the meaning "finished with work"?

The adjective fertig means finished or done, and when paired with the prepositional phrase mit der Arbeit, it forms a common expression that means "done with work." The preposition mit indicates the object to which the adjective applies.

Why is morgen (tomorrow) positioned between mich and an in the sentence?

In German sentence structure, adverbs of time like morgen typically follow the direct object and come before elements like the separated prefix. This results in the natural order: ruf mich morgen an.