Breakdown of Bitte steck das Papier mit einer Stecknadel fest.
mit
with
bitte
please
das Papier
the paper
einer
a; (feminine, dative)
Questions & Answers about Bitte steck das Papier mit einer Stecknadel fest.
Why is there no subject like du in this sentence?
Because this is an imperative sentence, meaning a command or instruction.
In German, the subject is usually left out in the informal singular imperative:
- Du steckst das Papier fest. = you pin the paper in place.
- Steck das Papier fest! = pin the paper in place!
So the du is understood and does not need to be said.
Why is the verb steck and not stecken or steckt?
Steck is the informal singular imperative form of stecken.
For many verbs, the du-imperative is made from the du form by removing -st:
- du steckst → steck!
You may also sometimes see stecke!, but steck! is the more usual modern form here.
Compare:
- Steck das Papier fest. = informal, to one person
- Steckt das Papier fest. = informal, to more than one person
- Stecken Sie das Papier fest. = formal/polite
Why is fest separated and placed at the end?