Zur Entspannung mache ich abends eine kurze Meditation.

To relax I do a short meditation in the evening.

Breakdown of Zur Entspannung mache ich abends eine kurze Meditation.

• ich: I
• machen: to do
• abends: in the evening
• kurz: short

Questions & Answers about Zur Entspannung mache ich abends eine kurze Meditation.

What does “zur Entspannung” literally mean, and why is it zur instead of zu der or something else?

Zur is a contraction of zu der. So literally:

• zu der Entspannung → zur Entspannung

Zu always takes the dative case, so the article is der (dative feminine of die Entspannung).

Meaning / use:

• zur Entspannung = for relaxation / to relax (expressing purpose)
• It’s a fixed, very common phrase in German: zur Entspannung = for the purpose of relaxing.

You could technically say zu der Entspannung, but in normal speech and writing you nearly always contract it to zur.

You would not usually say für die Entspannung here. Für is more about “for the benefit of” or “for someone/something,” while zu / zur is often used for purpose (zur Entspannung, zur Erholung, zur Pflege etc.).

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Why is “Entspannung” capitalized? Is it special in this phrase?