Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching German grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Der Schritt ist wichtig.
What does Schritt mean in Der Schritt ist wichtig? Is it always a physical step?
Schritt most directly translates to step. It can be:
- A physical step (when walking), or
- A figurative step (in a process or plan).
Context tells you which meaning is intended.
Why is Der Schritt in the nominative case?
Because Der Schritt is the grammatical subject of the sentence. In German, subjects take the nominative case, so we use the masculine nominative article der before Schritt.
Why doesn’t the adjective wichtig have any ending (like wichtiger or wichtige) here?
When an adjective follows a form of the verb sein (a linking verb), it’s used in predicate position and remains uninflected. That’s why you say ist wichtig, ist schön, ist spannend, etc., without adding adjective endings.
How do I know to use the verb ist here?
Ist is the third-person singular form of sein (“to be”). It serves as a linking verb that connects the subject (Der Schritt) with the adjective (wichtig) that describes it.
Could I change the word order and say Der Schritt wichtig ist?