An der Einlasskontrolle zeigen wir die Eintrittskarte.

At the entry check, we show the ticket.

Breakdown of An der Einlasskontrolle zeigen wir die Eintrittskarte.

• wir: we
• zeigen: to show
• an: on
• die Eintrittskarte: the admission ticket

Questions & Answers about An der Einlasskontrolle zeigen wir die Eintrittskarte.

Why does the sentence start with An der Einlasskontrolle instead of Wir?

German is a verb-second language in main clauses. That means the finite verb has to come in the second position.

So if you put An der Einlasskontrolle first, the verb must come next:

• An der Einlasskontrolle | zeigen | wir | die Eintrittskarte

If you started with Wir, that would also be correct:

• Wir zeigen die Eintrittskarte an der Einlasskontrolle.

Both are grammatical, but starting with An der Einlasskontrolle puts more focus on the place.

Why is it zeigen wir and not wir zeigen?

For the same reason: the first element in the sentence is An der Einlasskontrolle, so the verb has to stay in second position.

German sentence pattern here is:

• first element: An der Einlasskontrolle
• second position: zeigen
• then subject: wir

This often feels unusual to English speakers, because English usually keeps the subject before the verb.

What does an der Einlasskontrolle mean exactly?

It means something like at the entrance check or at the admission check.

The noun Einlasskontrolle is a compound word:

• Einlass = entry, admission
• Kontrolle = check, inspection, control

So Einlasskontrolle is the place or process where your ticket is checked before you enter.