Breakdown of Wir haben die Möglichkeit, vor der Abfahrt noch einen Snack im Café zu kaufen.
in
in
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
wir
we
haben
to have
kaufen
to buy
das Café
the café
vor
before
die Abfahrt
the departure
die Möglichkeit
the possibility
noch
another
der Snack
the snack
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Questions & Answers about Wir haben die Möglichkeit, vor der Abfahrt noch einen Snack im Café zu kaufen.
Why is there a comma before vor der Abfahrt noch einen Snack im Café zu kaufen?
In German, an infinitive clause with zu (a “zu-Infinitivgruppe”) that complements a noun must be set off by a comma. Here vor der Abfahrt noch einen Snack im Café zu kaufen modifies the noun Möglichkeit, so the comma is required.
Why is Möglichkeit used instead of simply using the modal verb können or the word Chance?
Möglichkeit haben literally means “to have the possibility/option.” It’s more formal and places the focus on the existence of the option itself.
- Using können (“we can buy”) is less formal and simply states ability.
- Chance is a feminine noun that often implies a favorable outcome (“chance”), whereas Möglichkeit is more neutral.
What does vor der Abfahrt mean, and why is der Abfahrt in the dative case?
vor here means “before” (in a temporal sense). When vor expresses time rather than location, it takes the dative case. Abfahrt is feminine (die Abfahrt), so the dative singular is der Abfahrt—“before the departure.”
What does noch add to vor der Abfahrt noch einen Snack?
noch means “still” or “yet.” In this sentence it suggests there’s “still time” or “one more chance” to grab a snack before leaving.
Why is einen Snack used instead of ein Snack?
Snack is a masculine noun (der Snack). As the direct object of kaufen, it’s in the accusative case, where the masculine indefinite article ein becomes einen, giving einen Snack.
Why is it im Café instead of in das Café or ins Café?
im is the contraction of in + dem. When you talk about where something happens (location), you use the dative case with in, so im Café (“in/at the café”). ins (in + das) would be the accusative form, implying motion into the café rather than simply being inside it.
Where is the zu in the sentence, and why does it go with kaufen at the end?
The zu is attached to the infinitive verb at the end—zu kaufen. In German zu-Infinitivgruppen, zu always directly precedes the main verb, which itself comes at the very end of that clause.
How could you rephrase this sentence using the modal verb können instead of Möglichkeit haben?
You would drop die Möglichkeit, the comma, and zu, and place können in second position. For example:
Wir können vor der Abfahrt noch einen Snack im Café kaufen.