Breakdown of In der Schlange vor der Kasse halten alle mindestens einen Meter Abstand.
in
in
vor
in front of
die Kasse
the checkout
ein
one
die Schlange
the line
alle
everyone
mindestens
at least
der Meter
the meter
der Abstand
the distance
halten
to keep
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Questions & Answers about In der Schlange vor der Kasse halten alle mindestens einen Meter Abstand.
Does Schlange mean “snake” here?
Literally it does, but in everyday German die Schlange also means “queue/line.” The idiom in der Schlange stehen means “to stand in line.”
Why is it In der Schlange and not im Schlange?
Because im = in dem and is only used with masculine or neuter nouns. Schlange is feminine, so you need dative feminine: in der Schlange. It’s dative because it describes location, not movement. With movement you’d say in die Schlange (“into the line”).
Why is it vor der Kasse (dative) and not accusative?
The preposition vor takes dative for location (where?) and accusative for direction (to where?). Here it’s a static location: they are standing in front of the checkout, so vor der Kasse (dative). With movement, you’d say e.g. Sie gehen vor die Kasse (accusative).
What exactly does Kasse mean?
Die Kasse is the checkout/cash register or ticket desk, depending on context. It is not the cashier (that’s der Kassierer / die Kassiererin). In Austria you’ll also see die Kassa. You can say an der Kasse (“at the checkout”) or vor der Kasse (“in front of the checkout”).
Why is the verb before the subject: halten alle?
German main clauses are verb‑second (V2). When you front a phrase like In der Schlange vor der Kasse, the finite verb (halten) must still be in second position, so the subject (alle) comes after it. Without fronting, you can say Alle halten ….
Why use halten and not haben for distance?
The idiomatic expression is Abstand halten (“to keep distance”). Saying Abstand haben is unusual in this instructional sense. You can, however, use a different structure like Sie haben einen Abstand von zwei Metern in descriptive contexts.
Why einen Meter and not ein Meter or einem Meter?
Because it’s the direct object (accusative) of the verb phrase … halten. Meter is masculine, and the accusative of ein (one) is einen: nominative ein Meter, accusative einen Meter, dative einem Meter, genitive eines Meters.
What case is Abstand in, and how does einen Meter Abstand work?
The whole phrase einen Meter Abstand functions as the accusative object of halten. Abstand is the head noun; einen Meter is a measure phrase modifying it (like “two liters of water” → zwei Liter Wasser). So you get “hold a distance of one meter.”
Can I use a von-phrase instead, like “a distance of at least one meter”?
Yes: (Sie) halten einen Abstand von mindestens einem Meter. That’s equivalent to mindestens einen Meter Abstand halten, just with an explicit von + dative construction.
Where can I put mindestens?
Place it right before what it quantifies. Natural options include:
- Alle halten mindestens einen Meter Abstand.
- Alle halten einen Abstand von mindestens einem Meter. You wouldn’t split it awkwardly from the measurement (e.g., not Alle mindestens halten …).
Why is Abstand singular even though there are many people?
German typically uses singular Abstand in the fixed phrase Abstand halten to talk about spacing collectively. Abstände (plural) would emphasize multiple separate gaps and is unusual in this context.
Is alle the right word? What’s the difference between alle and jeder here?
Alle means “all (people)” and takes a plural verb: alle halten. Jeder means “each/every” and takes a singular verb: Jeder hält mindestens einen Meter Abstand. Both work; the nuance is collective vs. distributive.
Could I rephrase it with stehen instead of halten?
Yes. Common alternatives:
- (Sie) stehen mindestens einen Meter auseinander.
- (Sie) stehen mindestens einen Meter voneinander entfernt. These focus on the state of standing rather than the act of keeping distance.
Can I drop alle?
Not in a normal declarative clause—German needs an explicit subject. To speak generally, you can use man: Man hält mindestens einen Meter Abstand, or a passive/impersonal form: Es wird mindestens ein Meter Abstand gehalten.
Why are words like Schlange, Kasse, Meter, Abstand capitalized?
All nouns are capitalized in German. Meter is a noun (a unit), so it’s capitalized; mindestens is an adverb and stays lowercase. If abbreviated, write 1 m (no period).
Is there a difference between vor der Kasse and an der Kasse?
Yes, nuance: vor der Kasse is literally “in front of the checkout,” which fits a line forming before it. An der Kasse means “at the checkout” and refers to the general checkout area.
What’s the difference between vor and vorne?
Vor is a preposition that takes a case and an object: vor der Kasse. Vorne is an adverb meaning “in front (up front)” without an object: vorne an der Kasse (“up front at the checkout”).