Bist du bereit? Dann komm schnell zum Bahnhof!
Are you ready? Then come quickly to the train station!
…
Breakdown of Bist du bereit? Dann komm schnell zum Bahnhof!
sein
to be
kommen
to come
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
zu
to
du
you
schnell
quickly
der Bahnhof
the train station
bereit
ready
dann
then
Questions & Answers about Bist du bereit? Dann komm schnell zum Bahnhof!
Why does Bist du bereit? place the verb before the subject instead of saying Du bist bereit?
In German, yes‑or‑no questions invert the finite verb and the subject. In a statement you say Du bist bereit (“You are ready”), but a yes‑or‑no question starts with the verb: Bist du bereit? (“Are you ready?”).
What is the difference between bereit and fertig, since both can translate as “ready”?
Both words can be rendered “ready,” but they focus on different nuances:
- bereit emphasizes mental or physical preparedness or willingness. (“I’m ready to go.”)
- fertig means “finished,” “completed,” or “done with something.” (“I’m done with my homework.”)
What is the function of Dann at the start of Dann komm schnell zum Bahnhof!?
Dann here means “then” in a sequential sense. It links back to the question “Are you ready?” and says: “If that’s the case, then do this next.”
Why is komm used instead of kommst, and why is there no du before it?
This is the informal du-imperative. To form it for regular verbs you:
1) Take the du-form (du kommst)
2) Drop the -st ending → komm
3) Omit the pronoun → (du) komm
So Dann komm schnell… means “Then (you) come quickly…”
How is the word order in the imperative clause komm schnell zum Bahnhof structured?
Imperative clauses typically start with the verb, followed by adverbs of manner, then other phrases. Here the order is:
1) Verb: komm
2) Manner adverb: schnell
3) Destination prepositional phrase: zum Bahnhof
Why is schnell placed between the verb and zum Bahnhof?
As a manner adverb, schnell normally comes right after the verb in German. Time adverbs come next, and place or destination phrases (like zum Bahnhof) come last.
What does zum mean in zum Bahnhof, and why is it used?
Zum is a contraction of zu dem. The preposition zu (requiring the dative) is used when indicating movement toward people or specific locations (like a building). Since Bahnhof is masculine in German, zu dem Bahnhof contracts to zum Bahnhof (“to the train station”).
Why do we use zu here instead of nach Bahnhof?
Nach is primarily used with cities, countries, or general directions (e.g., nach Berlin, nach Norden). For specific buildings or points within a locality (train stations, parks, people’s houses), German uses zu + dative (→ zum or zur).
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“How do German cases work?”
German has four grammatical cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possession). The case determines the form of articles and adjectives. For example, "the dog" is "der Hund" as a subject but "den Hund" as a direct object.
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