Word
Zu Beginn des Seminars legt die Dozentin ein Handout auf jeden Tisch.
Meaning
At the beginning of the seminar, the lecturer puts a handout on every table.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Zu Beginn des Seminars legt die Dozentin ein Handout auf jeden Tisch.
der Tisch
the table
auf
on
legen
to put
zu
at
Questions & Answers about Zu Beginn des Seminars legt die Dozentin ein Handout auf jeden Tisch.
Why is legt placed before die Dozentin?
Because German main clauses usually follow the verb-second rule. The first position is taken by Zu Beginn des Seminars, so the finite verb legt must come next.
Compare:
- Die Dozentin legt ein Handout auf jeden Tisch.
- Zu Beginn des Seminars legt die Dozentin ein Handout auf jeden Tisch.
In both cases, the verb is still in second position.
What kind of phrase is Zu Beginn des Seminars?
It is a time expression meaning at the beginning of the seminar.
- zu Beginn = at the beginning
- des Seminars = of the seminar
This whole phrase sets the time for the action and is placed first in the sentence for emphasis or flow.
Why is it des Seminars and not das Seminar?
Because Beginn is followed here by the genitive, which often expresses of in English.
So:
- das Seminar = nominative
- des Seminars = genitive, meaning of the seminar
This is a very common pattern in more formal German:
- zu Beginn des Kurses
- am Ende des Tages
- während des Semesters
Is zu Beginn just an idiomatic expression?