fir ... ze
In Order to: Fir ... Ze
fir + ... + ze + infinitive = in order to: Ech léiere Lëtzebuergesch, fir mat de Leit ze schwätzen.
How It Works
To say why someone does something, use fir ... ze. English says "to" or "in order to":
- Ech léiere Lëtzebuergesch, fir mat de Leit ze schwätzen. (I'm learning Luxembourgish to talk with people.)
- Si spuert, fir en Auto ze kafen. (She is saving to buy a car.)
Word order. Fir comes first and ze with the infinitive comes last. Everything else goes in between: fir mat de Leit ze schwätzen. Net goes just before ze: fir den Zuch net ze verpassen. A separable verb takes ze in the middle: fir d'Käerzen unzefänken (separable verbs with ze).
Ze or fir ... ze? If you can say "in order to" in English, you need fir. After verbs like probéieren or phrases like Loscht hunn, plain ze is enough: Ech hu Loscht ze kachen. Luxembourgish also often adds fir in front of such groups, as in Hien ass prett, (fir) eis ze hëllefen, so you will hear fir more often than "in order to" would suggest. With a purpose, though, it is never left out.
Same subject only. Fir ... ze has no subject of its own. It means the person in the main clause does the second action. If someone else does it, use fir datt: Ech erklären et nach eng Kéier, fir datt hien et versteet.
Commas. Put a comma before fir when the group has more words than just ze and the verb. A bare fir ze + verb has no comma: Ech hu keng Zäit fir z'iessen.
Examples (6)
- Ech léiere Lëtzebuergesch, fir mat de Leit ze schwätzen.
I'm learning Luxembourgish to talk with people.
Fir opens the purpose, and ze schwätzen closes it.
- Si spuert, fir en Auto ze kafen.
She is saving up to buy a car.
The object en Auto sits between fir and ze.
- Mir ware gëschter am Baumaart, fir eng Leeder ze kafen.
We were at the DIY store yesterday to buy a ladder.
The purpose of the trip comes after the comma.
- Ech hunn net genuch Suen, fir en Haus ze kafen.
I don't have enough money to buy a house.
After genuch, fir ... ze says what the amount is for.
- Mir fuere fréi fort, fir den Zuch net ze verpassen.
We're leaving early so as not to miss the train.
Net goes right before ze.
- Ech hu keng Zäit fir z'iessen.
I have no time to eat.
A bare fir ze + verb has no comma. Z'iessen is the fixed short spelling.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out fir when you mean in order to.
Ech léiere Lëtzebuergesch, mat de Leit ze schwätzen.Ech léiere Lëtzebuergesch, fir mat de Leit ze schwätzen.A purpose needs fir. Plain ze only completes verbs like probéieren.
Putting the object after the infinitive.
Si spuert, fir ze kafen en Auto.Si spuert, fir en Auto ze kafen.Ze and the infinitive always come last, so en Auto goes before them.
Using fir ... ze when someone else does the second action.
Ech erklären et nach eng Kéier, fir hien et ze verstoen.Ech erklären et nach eng Kéier, fir datt hien et versteet.Fir ... ze cannot have its own subject. When another person acts, use fir datt with a full clause.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before In Order To: Fir ... ze, learn The Infinitive With Ze.
Related Patterns
- fir dattSo That: Fir Datt
The full-clause version for a purpose with a different subject.
Level 4 - ouni ... zeWithout Doing: Ouni ... Ze
Built the same way, meaning without doing something.
Level 3 - amplaz ... zeInstead of Doing: Amplaz ... Ze
Built the same way, meaning instead of doing something.
Level 4 - ze Inside Separable Verbs
Separable verbs put ze in the middle inside fir ... ze.
Level 3 - wellBecause: Well
Well gives a reason, while fir ... ze gives a purpose.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice fir ... ze in Bubblegum
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