Learn Hardcore German: Zuerst sieben wir das Mehl, danach rühren wir den Teig um. - First we sift the flour, then we stir the dough.

Base verb: umrühren.
Main clause: danach rühren wir den Teig um.
Subordinate/infinitive: the parts stay together → …, dass wir den Teig umrühren; den Teig umzurühren.

Can I say umrühren wir den Teig?

Not in a statement. In a yes/no question you’d say: Rühren wir den Teig um? The prefix never moves in front of the verb in main clauses; it only stays attached in infinitives/participles or subordinate clauses (e.g., umrühren, umgerührt, …, dass … umrühren).

Why den Teig but das Mehl?

Case and gender:

Teig is masculine (der Teig). As a direct object (accusative), its article becomes den.
Mehl is neuter (das Mehl). Neuter accusative is the same as nominative: das. Both are direct objects of their verbs.

How can I tell the genders of Mehl and Teig?

You mostly have to memorize them or check a dictionary.

das Mehl (neuter, uncountable; no real plural)
der Teig (masculine; plural die Teige exists but is rare in cooking)

Is the comma before danach correct even without und?

Yes. It separates two independent main clauses placed side by side (asyndetic coordination). That comma is standard; a semicolon or a period would also be fine. Note that danach is an adverb, not a conjunction.

Can I use dann instead of danach?

Yes: Zuerst …, dann … is very common. danach leans toward “after that/thereafter,” dann toward “then.” Both are fine here.

Is Zuerst capitalized on purpose?

Only because it starts the sentence. The adverb is normally lowercase: zuerst. Nouns like Mehl and Teig are always capitalized.

What rule controls the word order after zuerst and danach?

Verb-second (V2): exactly one element may precede the finite verb. With Zuerst or Danach in first position, the verb (sieben, rühren) comes next, then the subject (wir).

Do I have to repeat wir in the second clause?

Yes. German doesn’t drop subject pronouns. Recipe-style alternatives:

Imperative: Sieben Sie das Mehl, rühren Sie den Teig um.
Infinitive style: Mehl sieben, danach den Teig umrühren.

What’s the nuance between rühren, umrühren, verrühren, anrühren, and kneten?

rühren: to stir (general).
umrühren: to give something a stir so it mixes evenly (often something already combined).
verrühren: to mix ingredients thoroughly into a uniform mass.
anrühren: to mix powder + liquid to make something (batter, paste).
kneten: to knead (dough). In this sentence, umrühren is perfectly natural; verrühren or anrühren may also fit depending on context.

Could I drop the articles and say Zuerst sieben wir Mehl?

Yes, if you mean “some flour” (unspecified). das Mehl refers to a specific, known amount (e.g., “the flour from step 1”). Recipes often omit articles with uncountable ingredients.

Does danach govern a case like nach does?

No. danach is an adverb (“after that/then”) and governs no case. Only the preposition nach takes the dative, e.g., nach dem Sieben (“after the sifting”).

Could I rewrite it with nachdem?

Yes, as a subordinate clause: Nachdem wir das Mehl gesiebt haben, rühren wir den Teig um. Note the perfect (gesiebt haben) and that umrühren stays together in subordinate clauses.

What are the past participles here?

sieben → gesiebt
umrühren → umgerührt (with separable prefixes, ge- goes between prefix and stem)

Any pronunciation tips?

sieben: long i (like “zee-ben”).
Mehl: long e (“mayl”).
Teig: vowel like “eye”; final g is devoiced (“tike”).
rühren: front rounded ü (lip shape of “oo,” tongue of “ee”); final -en is weak.

Can I move the object forward for emphasis?

Yes: Den Teig rühren wir danach um (emphasis on the object). The separable um still goes to the very end.

Is there any ambiguity with erst vs zuerst?

Yes. erst can also mean “only/not until,” which can be ambiguous. zuerst clearly means “first (of several steps),” so it’s the safer choice in instructions.