Breakdown of Heute möchte meine Freundin zum Friseur gehen, weil ihre Haare zu lang sind.
sein
to be
gehen
to go
zu
to
lang
long
heute
today
weil
because
möchten
would like to
die Freundin
the friend
mein
my
zu
too
der Friseur
the hairdresser
ihr
her
das Haar
the hair
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Questions & Answers about Heute möchte meine Freundin zum Friseur gehen, weil ihre Haare zu lang sind.
Why is möchte used here instead of will or mögen?
Möchte is the subjunctive (Konjunktiv II) form of mögen, expressing a polite wish or desire.
- Ich möchte = “I would like to.”
- Ich will is more direct (“I want to”) and can sound firmer or even rude.
- Mögen in the present tense (“ich mag”) simply means “I like,” not “I would like to.”
What is zum in zum Friseur?
Zum is a contraction of zu dem.
- zu = “to” (a preposition taking the dative).
- dem Friseur = dative masculine singular of der Friseur.
So zum Friseur literally means “to the hairdresser.”
Why is Friseur masculine, and how do I know to use dem?
In German, Friseur (hairdresser) is a masculine noun (der Friseur).
- With the preposition zu, you always take the dative case.
- Masculine dative singular article is dem.
Hence zu + dem Friseur → zum Friseur.
Why is it meine Freundin, and could it also mean “my girlfriend”?
Freundin always means “female friend” or “girlfriend.”
- Context tells you which one.
- If you’re talking about a romantic partner, it means “girlfriend.”
- If it’s just a friend, you might clarify by adding nur or gute (e.g., meine gute Freundin).
Why is ihre Haare used and not ihr Haare?
Possessive pronouns agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify:
- Haare is plural.
- In the plural dative, “her” is ihre (no ending change).
Since Haare here is in the nominative plural of the subordinate clause, “her hair” still uses ihre.
Why do we say Haare sind instead of Haare ist?
Haare is plural (“hairs”).
- Plural subjects always take the plural verb sind (“are”).
If you said das Haar ist (“the hair is”), you’d be referring to a single hair strand or hair as a mass noun.
What’s the rule for the word order in weil ihre Haare zu lang sind?
Weil introduces a subordinate clause, which pushes the finite verb to the end.
Structure:
- Subordinating conjunction (weil)
- Subject (ihre Haare)
- Other elements (zu lang)
- Verb at the end (sind)
Could I move Heute to another position?
Yes, heute (an adverb of time) is flexible. Common positions:
- Front position (as here): Heute möchte…
- After the verb: Ich möchte heute…
Just ensure the verb remains in second position in the main clause.
Why is it zu lang and not sehr lang?
- zu before an adjective means “too,” indicating excess.
- sehr means “very.”
So zu lang = “too long,” implying it’s a problem. Sehr lang = “very long,” neutral or even positive.
Can I say zum Friseur gehen in the continuous sense (“go get my hair done”)?
Yes. Zum Friseur gehen is idiomatic for “go to the hairdresser.”
If you want to stress the process (“go and get my hair cut”), you can say:
- Ich gehe zum Friseur, um die Haare schneiden zu lassen. (to have them cut)
But zum Friseur gehen alone is perfectly natural in everyday German.