The word “zu“ is used in different ways in the German language.
1) The word “zu” is used as a verb prefix.
With the English language, a verb prefix is a word like “up” or “down”. These are used with verbs to create new verbs which mean something completely different.
get – get up – get down
talk – talk up – talk down
stand – stand up – stand down
This is similar to German, but the prefixes are put before the infinitive of the verb and joined to it:
zu (meaning to) + machen (meaning to make) = zumachen (meaning to close)
zu (meaning to) + geben (meaning to give) = zugeben (meaning to admit)
Prefixes can be found in weak, strong and mixed verbs. Verbs which are built with the prefix “zu” are separated from the verb and are called separable prefixes.
The word “zu” as a verb prefix is often used to express the following situations:
- A movement. I’m walking towards something.
For example: Ich laufe auf dich zu. – I‘m walking towards you.
- To have hold of something.
For example: Ich greife zu… – I grip something
- As an addition of something.
For example: Ich muss 20€ zuzahlen. – I have to pay 20€ extra.
- To give attention to someone:
For example: Ich höre dir zu. – I’m listening to you.
- To describe that something is being closed:
For example: Er macht die Tür zu. – He closes the door.
- To describe, that something is being covered:
For example: Ich decke die Seite zu. – I cover up the page
2) The word “zu” is used as a preposition:
The word “zu” is used to describe, that you are going to something or to someone.
For example: Ich gehe zu meiner Freundin. – I am going to my girlfriend’s.
Der Bus fährt zum (zu + dem) Zoo. The bus is going to the zoo.
When using zu in this way, you can shorten „zu dem“ to „zum“ and „zu der“ to „zur“
The word “zu“ can also be used without any article. In these cases, we are talking about the situation of someone (behavior of someone):
For example:
- Glück zu haben – to be lucky
- Lust (auf etwas) zu haben – to feel like (doing something) – lit: lust (on something) to have.
- Freude (an etwas) zu haben – to take pleasure (in something)
3) The word “zu“ is used with the infinitive:
The infinitive is the full to form of the verb, for example: to sleep, to do. In German it is always written with an en on the end.
“Zu” is used where the full infinitive is used in the English equivalent:
For example:
Ich versuchte zu reiten. – I tried to ride. (after the verb)
Er ist einfach zu verstehen. – He is easy to understand. (after the adjective)
Wir haben keine Zeit, die Küche zu putzen. – We don’t have time to clean the kitchen. (after the noun)
There are a few exceptions to this rule. “Zu” is not used with the following verbs:
- dürfen
- können
- mögen
- müssen
- sollen
- wollen
- würden
The English ing form is often used instead of the infinitive but the word “zu” is still applicable in the German language:
For example:
Er fand es leicht, deutsch zu lernen – He found learning German was easy.