Breakdown of Ich bitte meinen Freund, mir Brot zu geben.
das Brot
the bread
ich
I
der Freund
the friend
geben
to give
mein
my
mir
me
bitten
to ask
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Questions & Answers about Ich bitte meinen Freund, mir Brot zu geben.
What is the function and meaning of bitten in this sentence?
Bitten means to ask or to request. Here, it indicates that the speaker is making a request. The structure is similar to saying “I ask my friend…” in English, where an action to be performed follows.
Why is meinen Freund in the accusative case and how is it formed?
In German, the direct object of verbs like bitten needs to be in the accusative case. Since Freund is a masculine noun, its article changes from mein (nominative) to meinen (accusative). This shows that “my friend” is the person being asked.
What role does the comma play before the clause mir Brot zu geben?
The comma separates the main clause from the following infinitive clause. In German, when an infinitive clause (introduced by zu) clarifies or completes the main action (in this case, explaining what is being requested), it must be set off by a comma.
What does the infinitive clause mir Brot zu geben convey, and what is its structure?
The clause mir Brot zu geben translates to “to give me bread.” Within this clause, mir is in the dative case, indicating the recipient, and Brot is the accusative object—the thing to be given. The zu with the infinitive geben forms a construction that specifies the requested action.
Why is mir in the dative case in the clause mir Brot zu geben?
The verb geben typically takes two objects: an indirect object (the recipient) and a direct object (the item given). In this clause, mir is the recipient, so it appears in the dative case, correctly indicating “to me.”
Can the order of mir and Brot be changed in the infinitive clause?
In German, when you have a dative pronoun and an accusative noun in the same clause, the dative pronoun usually comes before the accusative object. Therefore, mir Brot zu geben is the standard order. Reversing them (e.g., Brot mir zu geben) is not typical and can sound awkward in everyday use.
Is using an infinitive clause after bitten mandatory, or are there alternative constructions?
While it is very common and concise to use the infinitive clause with zu (as in mir Brot zu geben) after bitten, you can also rephrase the sentence with a subordinate clause, for example: Ich bitte meinen Freund, dass er mir Brot gibt (“I ask my friend that he gives me bread”). However, the infinitive construction is more frequently used for direct requests in German.