Mit Gleitzeit kann ich früher anfangen.

Gleitzeit is the German word for flextime or flexible working hours. It refers to a work arrangement where you do not have to start and finish at exactly the same fixed times every day.

So mit Gleitzeit suggests that flexible hours make the earlier start possible.

In German, all nouns are capitalized. Gleitzeit is a noun, so it begins with a capital letter.

This is true even in the middle of a sentence.

Mit usually means with and introduces the idea of means, circumstance, or accompaniment.

Here, mit Gleitzeit means something like:

• with flextime
• thanks to flextime
• under a flextime system

So it explains the condition that makes the action possible.

Mit always takes the dative case.

So Gleitzeit is in the dative here. However, because there is no article and the noun itself does not change form, you cannot actually see the dative ending in the sentence. The case is determined by the preposition mit.

German often leaves out the article with abstract or general concepts, especially in short expressions like this.

So mit Gleitzeit means with flextime in a general sense, not with the flextime referring to one specific system already identified in detail.

Using no article sounds natural here.

This is because German main clauses follow the verb-second rule.

The first position in the sentence is taken by Mit Gleitzeit. Once that happens, the conjugated verb must come next, in second position:

• Mit Gleitzeit = position 1
• kann = position 2
• ich = then the subject comes after that

So the word order is normal German word order, not unusual.

Yes, absolutely.

Both are correct, but they emphasize slightly different things:

• Mit Gleitzeit kann ich früher anfangen.
  Emphasizes the flextime arrangement.

• Ich kann mit Gleitzeit früher anfangen.
  Sounds a bit more neutral and starts with I.

German often moves different elements to the first position for emphasis or topic.

Because kann is a modal verb. In German, when a modal verb is used, the other verb usually goes to the end in the infinitive form.

So:

• kann = the conjugated modal verb
• anfangen = the main verb in the infinitive at the end

This is a very common pattern:

• Ich kann kommen.
• Sie will gehen.
• Wir müssen arbeiten.

Yes, anfangen is a separable verb.

On its own in a main clause, it splits:

• Ich fange früher an.

But with a modal verb like kann, it stays together as an infinitive at the end:

• Ich kann früher anfangen.

So it is still separable, but the modal construction changes how it appears.

Früher means earlier.

It is the comparative form of früh, and here it is being used as an adverb, not an adjective. It describes when the person can start.

It usually implies a comparison that is understood from context, such as:

• earlier than usual
• earlier than before
• earlier than under a fixed schedule

German does not need to state the comparison explicitly if it is already clear.

Here kann mainly expresses possibility created by circumstances.

It is not really about physical ability, like being capable of starting work. It is more like:

• I am able to
• I have the option to
• I am allowed to / it is possible for me to

Because of the flextime arrangement, starting earlier becomes possible.