Brottin

TOPIC · Sentence structure & conjunctions

The infinitive structure with ohne..zu and (an)statt….zu in German

B1B2

After this lesson you can confidently form German sentences with the infinitive structures ohne…zu and (an)statt…zu and clearly express missing actions and alternatives.

This lesson explains how to use the infinitive structures ohne…zu and (an)statt…zu / statt…zu in German. These are very common at B1–B2 and make your sentences more elegant and compact.

1Basic pattern

Both are Infinitivsätze mit zu (infinitive clauses with "zu"). The infinitive verb is at the end, with zu directly in front of it.

General pattern:

  • Main clause + comma + ohne / (an)statt / statt + zu + Infinitiv

Key points:

  • The subject is usually the same as in the main clause and is not repeated.
  • The verb is in the infinitive (dictionary form) with zu.

2ohne…zu: something does not happen

ohne…zu expresses that an expected action does not happen.

Pattern:

  • Main clause, ohne + zu + Infinitiv
  • With separable verbs: ohne + prefix + zu + verb stem (for example: ohne anzufangen, ohne mitzunehmen)

Examples:

ExampleMeaning
Er geht ins Fitnessstudio, ohne sich vorher zu dehnen.He goes to the gym and does not stretch beforehand.
Sie hat das Haus verkauft, ohne die Möbel zu entfernen.She sold the house and did not remove the furniture.
Die Kinder spielen draußen, ohne einen Regenschirm mitzunehmen.The children play outside and do not take an umbrella.
Er fährt los, ohne auf die Ampel zu achten.He drives off and does not pay attention to the traffic light.
Sie unterschreibt den Vertrag, ohne ihn genau zu lesen.She signs the contract without reading it carefully.

Reflexive verbs and objects

Reflexive pronouns and objects stay before "zu":

  • ohne sich zu konzentrieren
  • ohne ihn zu fragen

Examples:

  • Sie macht die Prüfung, ohne sich gut vorzubereiten. – She takes the exam without preparing well.
  • Er trifft die Entscheidung, ohne seine Kolleginnen zu fragen. – He makes the decision without asking his colleagues.

3(an)statt…zu / statt…zu: alternative action

(an)statt…zu / statt…zu expresses that one action happens, and another possible action does not. It highlights a contrast / alternative.

Pattern:

  • Main clause, (an)statt / statt + zu + Infinitiv

statt is very common in everyday German; anstatt is a bit more formal. Grammatically they work the same.

Examples:

ExampleMeaning
Ich esse einen Salat, anstatt ein Stück Kuchen zu nehmen.I eat a salad instead of taking a piece of cake.
Er liest ein Buch, statt fernzusehen.He reads a book instead of watching TV.
Sie geht joggen, anstatt zu schlafen.She goes jogging instead of sleeping.
Wir fahren mit der Bahn, statt mit dem Auto zu fahren.We travel by train instead of going by car.
Er arbeitet weiter, anstatt eine Pause zu machen.He keeps working instead of taking a break.

Objects stay before zu:

  • anstatt das Fenster zu öffnen – instead of opening the window
  • statt seine Hausaufgaben zu machen – instead of doing his homework

4ohne…zu vs. (an)statt…zu

  • ohne…zu: focuses on a missing action, no explicit alternative needed.
    • Sie geht ins Bett, ohne das Licht auszumachen. – She goes to bed and the light stays on.
  • (an)statt…zu: focuses on an alternative – X happens, Y does not.
    • Sie geht ins Bett, statt das Licht auszumachen. – She chooses going to bed, not turning off the light.

Often both are possible, but (an)statt…zu makes the contrast and the “wrong” or unexpected choice clearer.

5Typical mistakes to avoid

  • Do not use a finite verb in the infinitive clause: ohne zu gehen, not ohne er geht.
  • Put zu directly before the infinitive (or after the separable prefix): anzufangen, mitzunehmen.
  • Do not repeat the same subject:
    • correct: Er geht weg, ohne sich zu verabschieden.
    • wrong: Er geht weg, ohne er sich zu verabschieden.

With these patterns you can express missing actions and alternatives much more precisely in German.