| 33.16.2 Um zu + infinitive |
Another very often used construction is the one with um zu + infinitive. The idea is that one action describes the means to reach a result or for another action. The English grammar does know no difference in this. The translation is simply with the preposition to.
| Example | |
| Er ging in die Bäckerei,
um Brot zu kaufen. = He went to the bakery's to buy some bread. |
 |
| Um deutlich zu machen, was ich will, erkläre ich es noch einmal. = To make clear what I want, I explain it once more. |
|
| Er studierte Medizin, um den Leuten zu helfen. = He studied medicine to help people. |
|
| Er lebt, um zu arbeiten. = He lives to work. |
|
Since in English it is always the preposition to it is not easy to know whether the German construction is with zu or with um zu . The difference is the aim or the means (=> um zu). However, everyone will understand you if you mix them up. So, just don't worry about this subtlety too much.
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