The Infinitive with zu
Learn the pattern behind Ich versuche, mehr zu lernen: which verbs and phrases take zu + infinitive, where zu slips inside separable verbs, and why modal verbs never take it.
The pattern: comma, zu, infinitive at the end
Some verbs do not take a noun as their object but a whole action: to try to learn, to forget to call. German builds this with zu plus the infinitive, and the infinitive takes its favourite seat — the very end of the sentence: Ich versuche, jeden Tag Deutsch zu lernen.
The most useful verbs of this family at A2 are versuchen (to try), vergessen (to forget), anfangen (to begin), aufhören (to stop), hoffen (to hope) and vorhaben (to plan). Each of them opens a little clause whose closing bracket is zu + infinitive: Er hat vergessen, die Miete zu überweisen. Sie fängt an, Gitarre zu spielen.
A comma usually separates the two parts, and putting it there is never wrong at this level — it also mirrors how the sentence sounds, with a tiny pause before the zu-part. Everything that belongs to the action (objects, times, places) stands between the comma and the final zu + infinitive.
Ich versuche, jeden Tag ein bisschen Deutsch zu lernen.
I try to learn a little German every day.
zu + infinitive closes the sentence.
Er hat vergessen, die Miete zu überweisen.
He forgot to transfer the rent.
Sie fängt nächste Woche an, Gitarre zu spielen.
She is starting to play the guitar next week.
anfangen splits as usual in the main clause; the zu-part follows.
Wir haben vor, im August nach Spanien zu fahren.
We are planning to travel to Spain in August.
vorhaben — a very common way to announce plans.
Lust haben, Zeit haben, es ist wichtig
The pattern is not limited to verbs. A handful of everyday phrases with haben open a zu-clause too: Lust haben (to feel like), Zeit haben (to have time), Angst haben (to be afraid). Hast du Lust, morgen ins Kino zu gehen? is probably the most common invitation sentence in spoken German. Ich habe keine Zeit, heute einzukaufen is its equally common refusal cousin.
Just as useful are judgements with es ist + adjective: Es ist wichtig, pünktlich zu sein. Es ist schwer, eine Wohnung zu finden. Es ist schön, dich zu sehen. The es does not refer to anything — it simply holds the subject seat while the real content waits in the zu-clause.
These phrases turn the grammar into social language: inviting, declining, complimenting, complaining. Learn Hast du Lust, ... zu ...? and Es ist schwer, ... zu ... as ready-made frames and fill the middle with whatever your day brings.
Hast du Lust, morgen ins Kino zu gehen?
Do you feel like going to the cinema tomorrow?
The standard casual invitation.
Ich habe leider keine Zeit, dir beim Umzug zu helfen.
Unfortunately I do not have time to help you with the move.
helfen + dative from the dative verbs lesson.
Es ist wichtig, pünktlich zu sein.
It is important to be on time.
Es ist schwer, in dieser Stadt eine Wohnung zu finden.
It is hard to find a flat in this city.
Separable verbs: zu moves inside
Separable verbs pull one small trick. When a separable verb stands at the end as a zu-infinitive, zu does not stand in front of it — it slips inside, between the prefix and the stem, and the whole thing is written as one word: einkaufen → einzukaufen, anrufen → anzurufen, aufstehen → aufzustehen.
So: Ich habe vergessen, dich anzurufen. Er versucht, früher aufzustehen. Compare a non-separable verb, where zu stays outside as its own word: zu lernen, zu spielen, zu überweisen — verbs with fixed prefixes like be-, ver- and über- are not separable, which you remember from the Perfekt lessons, and zu treats them like any other verb.
The test is one you already own: if the verb splits in the present tense (ich kaufe ein, ich rufe an), then zu goes inside. If it does not split (ich besuche, ich überweise), zu stands in front. One habit, two grammar points served.
Ich habe vergessen, dich anzurufen.
I forgot to call you.
anrufen → anzurufen, written as one word.
Er versucht, jeden Morgen früher aufzustehen.
He is trying to get up earlier every morning.
Hast du Zeit, nach der Arbeit noch einzukaufen?
Do you have time to do some shopping after work?
No zu after modals — and the pattern in daily life
One boundary keeps learners honest: modal verbs never take zu. Ich muss heute einkaufen — plain infinitive, no zu, no comma. The same goes for können, wollen, dürfen, sollen and möchten. English says "I want to go", so the to tempts you into ich will zu gehen — resist it. Modal + bare infinitive, always.
Side by side: Ich muss heute einkaufen (modal, no zu) versus Ich habe keine Zeit, heute einzukaufen (phrase with haben, zu inside the separable verb). Reading such pairs aloud is the quickest way to make the difference automatic.
In daily life the zu-infinitive is the grammar of intentions and excuses. New-year style resolutions: Ich habe vor, mehr Sport zu machen. Polite refusals: Ich habe leider keine Zeit, am Samstag zu kommen. Encouragement: Vergiss nicht, das Fenster zuzumachen! Write three sentences about your own week — one plan with vorhaben, one refusal with keine Zeit, one reminder with vergessen — and the pattern is yours.
Ich muss heute noch einkaufen.
I still have to do some shopping today.
Modal verb: bare infinitive, no zu, no comma.
Ich habe vor, ab Januar mehr Sport zu machen.
I am planning to do more sport from January.
Vergiss nicht, das Fenster zuzumachen!
Do not forget to close the window!
zumachen → zuzumachen — the second zu is the prefix.
Check yourself
Quick checks on this lesson. Get at least three quarters right to mark it as completed.
Fill in the gap
Hast du Lust, am Samstag ins Schwimmbad gehen?
Hint: Lust haben opens a clause that ends in this little word plus the infinitive.
Practise what you learned