Learn Hardcore German: Wir strukturieren den Lernplan Schritt für Schritt. - We structure the study plan step by step.

Wir – we (1st person plural subject pronoun, nominative case)
strukturieren – (we) structure / organize / arrange
- Infinitive: strukturieren
- Here: wir strukturieren = we structure
den – the (masculine accusative singular article)
Lernplan – study plan / learning plan
- A compound noun: Lern- (learning) + Plan (plan)
- Gender: masculine (der Lernplan, plural die Lernpläne)
Schritt für Schritt – step by step
- Literally: step for step, a fixed adverbial expression meaning gradually / one step at a time

Whole sentence: We structure the study plan step by step.

Why is it den Lernplan and not der Lernplan here?

Because den is the accusative form of the masculine article, and Lernplan is the direct object of the verb.

Masculine definite article:
- Nominative: der Lernplan (subject)
- Accusative: den Lernplan (direct object)

In the sentence, we ask:

Who does something? → Wir (we) → subject → nominative
What do we structure? → den Lernplan → direct object → accusative

So it must be den Lernplan, not der Lernplan.

How do I know that den Lernplan should be in the accusative case?

The accusative case is used for the direct object of a verb—what the action is directly affecting.

Identify the verb: strukturieren.
Ask: What are we structuring?
→ den Lernplan = the thing being structured → direct object.
Direct objects in German normally take the accusative case.

So:

Subject (nominative): Wir
Verb: strukturieren
Direct object (accusative): den Lernplan

That’s why den (accusative) is used rather than der (nominative).

What is the nuance of strukturieren compared with planen or organisieren?

These verbs overlap, but they’re not identical:

strukturieren – to structure, i.e. give something a clear order, framework, or system.
- Focus: arranging parts in a logical sequence.
- Example: den Lernplan strukturieren = decide which topics come first, what follows, how everything is ordered.
planen – to plan in the sense of deciding what will happen and when, often at a higher level.
- Example: den Urlaub planen – plan the vacation (whether, when, where).
organisieren – to organize in a practical or logistical sense.
- Example: ein Treffen organisieren – arrange the meeting (book room, send invites, etc.).

In this sentence, strukturieren suggests focusing on the internal structure of the learning plan (steps, order, levels), not just deciding that you will have a plan (planen) or handling logistics (organisieren).

Is strukturieren a separable verb? Why is there no prefix at the end of the sentence?

No, strukturieren is not a separable verb.

Clues:

It ends in -ieren. Verbs with -ieren (e.g. studieren, organisieren, reparieren, telefonieren) are never separable.
The stress is on -rie-: strukturieren, not on some prefix.

So you will never see something like:

✗ Wir struktu… ren den Lernplan.
✗ Wir … strukturieren den Lernplan. with a piece at the end.

It always stays together as one unit: strukturieren.

What exactly is Schritt für Schritt? Is it an idiom? Can I change the preposition?

Schritt für Schritt is a very common, fixed expression meaning step by step, gradually, one step at a time.

Grammatically:

Schritt – noun: step (masculine)
für – preposition: for, normally taking the accusative case
It’s a kind of symmetrical phrase: step for (each) step

As a whole, Schritt für Schritt functions as an adverbial phrase describing how something is done.

You generally do not change the preposition:

✔ Schritt für Schritt
✗ Schritt bei Schritt
✗ Schritt zu Schritt

Near-synonyms:

schrittweise – gradually
nach und nach – bit by bit
allmählich – gradually

Why are Lernplan and Schritt capitalized?

Because they are nouns, and in German all nouns are capitalized.

Lernplan – a noun (masculine), so it’s written with a capital L.
In Schritt für Schritt, Schritt is also a noun, even though the whole phrase functions like an adverb. Each Schritt remains a noun, so both words are capitalized.

In contrast:

Verbs (e.g. strukturieren) and
Pronouns (e.g. wir)

are not capitalized (unless they start the sentence).

Is the word order fixed? Can I say Wir strukturieren Schritt für Schritt den Lernplan or Schritt für Schritt strukturieren wir den Lernplan?

The only strict rule in main clauses is: the conjugated verb must be in second position (the V2 rule). Within that, you have some flexibility for emphasis.

All of these are correct:

Wir strukturieren den Lernplan Schritt für Schritt.
– Neutral: We structure the study plan step by step.
Wir strukturieren Schritt für Schritt den Lernplan.
– Slight emphasis on how (step by step), but still natural.
Schritt für Schritt strukturieren wir den Lernplan.
– Strong emphasis on Schritt für Schritt (the gradual process is highlighted).
- Here, Schritt für Schritt is in first position, so strukturieren must be second.
Den Lernplan strukturieren wir Schritt für Schritt.
– Emphasis on den Lernplan (this plan rather than something else).

What you must not do is move the conjugated verb away from second position:

✗ Wir den Lernplan strukturieren Schritt für Schritt.

Can the German present tense here also mean a future action, like “We will structure the study plan step by step”?

Yes. In German, the present tense (Präsens) is often used for future actions when the context makes it clear.

Wir strukturieren den Lernplan Schritt für Schritt. can mean:

We are structuring the study plan step by step. (now / in general), or
We will structure the study plan step by step. (future plan)

If you want to clearly emphasize the future, you can use werden + infinitive:

Wir werden den Lernplan Schritt für Schritt strukturieren.
= We will structure the study plan step by step.

But in everyday German, the simple present is very often enough.

How would I change this to say things like “I structure the study plan…” or “We structure your study plan step by step”?

You mainly change the subject pronoun and any possessive:

I structure the study plan step by step.
- Ich strukturiere den Lernplan Schritt für Schritt.
  (1st person singular: ich strukturiere)
We structure your study plan step by step.
You must choose a form of “your” that matches the situation and the gender/case:
- Informal du, masculine accusative (Lernplan is masculine):
  - Wir strukturieren deinen Lernplan Schritt für Schritt.
- Formal Sie, masculine accusative:
  - Wir strukturieren Ihren Lernplan Schritt für Schritt.
Note:
- dein → deinen in masculine accusative
- Ihr → Ihren in masculine accusative (formal “your”)

Is Lernplan the same as Studienplan or other “plan” words?

They’re related but not identical:

Lernplan – learning plan / study plan in the sense of what you personally want or need to learn, often for a course, exam, or self-study.
Studienplan – more like a curriculum / program of study, especially at a university or technical school; often an official document.
Lehrplan – official curriculum from the teacher’s / institution’s perspective.
Stundenplan – timetable / schedule (which subject at which hour).
Kursplan – the plan for a specific course (topics per week, etc.).

So in your sentence, Lernplan fits well for a personal or course-specific plan of what and how to learn.

How do I pronounce Wir strukturieren den Lernplan Schritt für Schritt?

A rough pronunciation guide (German → loose English-like approximation):

Wir – [viːɐ̯] → veer (not weer)
strukturieren – [ʃtrʊktuˈʁiːʁən] → shtruk-too-REE-ren
- Stress on -rie-: struktuRIERen
den – [deːn] → dayn (like “day” + “n”; vowel longer than English “den”)
Lernplan – [ˈlɛʁnplaːn] → LAIRN-plaan
- Lern like “learn” but shorter and tenser, r is more guttural.
Schritt – [ʃʁɪt] → shrit (short i, like in “sit”)
für – [fyːɐ̯] → roughly fyuhr (front rounded vowel, like “ee” with rounded lips)
Schritt again – same as above.

Full line, loosely:
Wir strukturieren den Lernplan Schritt für Schritt →
Veer shtruk-too-REE-ren dayn LAIRN-plaan shrit fyur shrit.