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Heute muss ich Überstunden machen, sonst verpasse ich die Frist.

Heute muss ich Überstunden machen, sonst verpasse ich die Frist.
Today I have to work overtime, otherwise I will miss the deadline.
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Questions & Answers about Heute muss ich Überstunden machen, sonst verpasse ich die Frist.

Why is the verb in second position in Heute muss ich …?

German main clauses follow V2 word order: the finite verb (here muss) is in position 2, no matter what comes first.

  • Heute is in position 1 (it’s the topic / what you lead with).
  • Therefore muss must come right after it: Heute muss …
    Then the subject follows: Heute muss ich …
Why is it muss ich and not ich muss?

Because Heute occupies the first position. When something other than the subject is placed first, the verb still stays in position 2, so the subject moves after the verb:

  • Ich muss heute Überstunden machen. (subject first)
  • Heute muss ich Überstunden machen. (time expression first)

This is often called inversion, but it’s really just the normal V2 rule.

What exactly does Überstunden machen mean, and why use machen?

Überstunden = overtime hours (literally “over-hours”).
Überstunden machen is a very common collocation meaning to work overtime.

You’ll also hear:

  • Überstunden arbeiten (also “work overtime”)
  • Überstunden leisten (a bit more formal)

But Überstunden machen is extremely standard in everyday German.

Why is Überstunden plural, and is it always plural?

It’s normally used in the plural because overtime is conceptualized as hours:

  • Ich mache Überstunden. = “I’m doing overtime.”

The singular die Überstunde exists, but it’s used when counting a specific single hour:

  • Ich habe heute eine Überstunde gemacht. = “I did one hour of overtime today.”
What case is Überstunden here?

It’s the accusative plural, functioning as the direct object of machen. In this sentence it looks identical to nominative plural (because many plural forms don’t change), but grammatically it’s accusative:

  • (Ich) mache
    • Überstunden (object)
Why is there a comma before sonst?

Here sonst introduces a second main clause with an implied condition (“otherwise”). In German, it’s common (and generally recommended) to separate two main clauses with a comma, especially when the relationship is clear:

  • Heute muss ich Überstunden machen, sonst verpasse ich die Frist.

You may sometimes see it without a comma in very informal writing, but the comma is standard and clearer.

What does sonst do grammatically here—does it trigger verb-final word order?

No. sonst here is an adverb meaning otherwise and it starts a main clause, so you still get V2:

  • sonst verpasse ich … (verb verpasse is 2nd)

If it were a true subordinate clause (like with weil, dass, wenn), the verb would go to the end. sonst doesn’t do that.

Why is it sonst verpasse ich and not sonst ich verpasse?

Same V2 rule again. sonst is in position 1, so the finite verb must be in position 2:

  • sonst (1) verpasse (2) ich (3)
Why is it verpasse and not werde verpassen?

German often uses the present tense to talk about near-future consequences, especially when the time frame is clear:

  • sonst verpasse ich die Frist = “otherwise I’ll miss the deadline”

Using werde verpassen is possible but often sounds more explicit or emphatic; the simple present is the default in many everyday contexts.

What’s the difference between verpassen and verfehlen in this context?

Both can mean “to miss,” but:

  • verpassen is very common and everyday: missing a train, an opportunity, a deadline.
  • verfehlen often sounds more formal or “aim/target”-like (miss a goal/target), and can feel less idiomatic for everyday deadlines (though it can still work).

For deadlines, die Frist verpassen is the most common phrase.

Why is it die Frist (feminine)? Could it also be der Termin or der Abgabetermin?

Frist is feminine: die Frist, meaning a deadline / time limit (often an official or fixed period).
Related options:

  • der Termin = an appointment/date (not necessarily a “deadline”)
  • der Abgabetermin = a specific due date for submission (very close in meaning to “deadline”)
  • die Deadline exists too (loanword), common in business contexts

So die Frist is especially appropriate when there’s an official time limit.

Why is it die Frist and not einer Frist / einer Deadline?

German often uses the definite article when the deadline is understood as a specific known one in context:

  • die Frist = the deadline (the one we’re talking about)

If you meant “some deadline” (unspecified), you could use the indefinite article:

  • sonst verpasse ich eine Frist. (less common unless contrasting multiple deadlines)
Can I move parts around—e.g., Überstunden muss ich heute machen?

Yes, but it changes emphasis. German allows different elements in position 1 to highlight them, while still keeping V2:

  • Heute muss ich Überstunden machen. (emphasis on “today”)
  • Überstunden muss ich heute machen. (emphasis on “overtime”)
  • Ich muss heute Überstunden machen. (neutral, subject first)

All are grammatical; choose based on what you want to stress.

Is machen at the end because German “sends the verb to the end”?

It’s because muss is a modal verb. With modals, the modal is the finite verb in V2 position, and the main action stays as an infinitive at the end:

  • muss (finite modal) + … + machen (infinitive)

This same pattern appears with other modals:

  • Ich kann heute nicht kommen.
  • Er will das nicht sagen.
Could I say Heute muss ich Überstunden machen, sonst werde ich die Frist verpassen?

Yes, that’s grammatical. It’s just a bit more explicit and sometimes heavier in style. In many everyday situations, the simple present is more natural:

  • sonst verpasse ich die Frist (very common)

But sonst werde ich die Frist verpassen can be used for emphasis or clarity.

How would this change if I used a subordinate clause like weil or wenn?

With a subordinate clause, the finite verb goes to the end of that clause:

  • Heute muss ich Überstunden machen, weil ich sonst die Frist verpasse.
  • Wenn ich heute keine Überstunden mache, verpasse ich die Frist.

Notice how verpasse moves to the end in the weil/Wenn clause.