Am Eingang müssen wir die Tickets vorzeigen, sonst kommen wir nicht weiter.

the; (masculine or neuter, dative)

Breakdown of Am Eingang müssen wir die Tickets vorzeigen, sonst kommen wir nicht weiter.

• wir: we
• nicht: not
• müssen: must

Questions & Answers about Am Eingang müssen wir die Tickets vorzeigen, sonst kommen wir nicht weiter.

What does am mean in Am Eingang, and why is it used?

Am is the contraction of an dem. It literally means “at the,” and here it’s used because an + dative is standard for a stationary location at a boundary or point like an entrance. So an dem Eingang → am Eingang.

Which case is Eingang in, and why?

Dative singular. An can take accusative (motion toward) or dative (no motion). Here it’s a location (“at the entrance”), so it takes dative: an dem Eingang → am Eingang.

Why is the verb müssen in second position after Am Eingang?

German main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule. A fronted element (Am Eingang) occupies the first slot, so the finite verb (müssen) must come next, followed by the subject (wir).

Why is vorzeigen at the very end?

With a modal verb like müssen, the main verb appears as an infinitive at the end of the clause. Because vorzeigen is separable, you would split it only in a simple clause without a modal. With a modal, it stays together at the end.

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