Clear Information About Dietary Restrictions | Learn German in English

Sentence explanations

1. Ein Gast hat eine Ernährungseinschränkung, deshalb brauchen wir vor der Bestellung klare Informationen.

   One guest has a dietary restriction, so we need clear information before ordering.

   Gast

   guest

   hat

   has

   Ernährungseinschränkung

   dietary restriction

   deshalb

   therefore; so

   brauchen

   need

   vor der

   before the

   Bestellung

   ordering; order

   klare

   clear

   Informationen

   information

   More detail

   Gast means “guest” here. It is a masculine noun: der Gast (singular), die Gäste (plural). In this sentence, ein Gast means one guest as an indefinite singular participant; the article does not by itself need to be explained as a numerical count. hat is the third-person singular present form of haben (“to have”): ich habe, du hast, er/sie/es hat, wir haben. The singular subject here is ein Gast, so German uses hat. Ernährungseinschränkung is a feminine compound noun meaning “dietary restriction.” Its singular form is die Ernährungseinschränkung; its plural is die Ernährungseinschränkungen. The phrase eine Ernährungseinschränkung therefore identifies the guest’s restriction without specifying what the restriction is. deshalb means “therefore” or “so” and links a reason to a result. In the second main clause, it occupies the first position, so the finite verb comes next: Deshalb brauchen wir ... (“Therefore, we need ...”). brauchen means “need” here. It is the first-person plural present form of brauchen, used with wir: ich brauche, du brauchst, wir brauchen. Example: Wir brauchen Zeit. — “We need time.” vor der means “before the” in this phrase. The preposition vor takes the dative for this temporal meaning, and der is the dative feminine singular form of the definite article. The noun governed by it is Bestellung, not the preceding noun. Bestellung means “ordering” or “order” here. It is a feminine noun: die Bestellung; its plural is die Bestellungen. In vor der Bestellung, it refers to the ordering event, so the whole phrase means “before ordering.” klare is the attributive form of the adjective klar (“clear”). It agrees with Informationen, which is plural and accusative in klare Informationen, so the adjective has the ending -e. The base and comparative forms are klar and klarer (“clearer”); klarste is the superlative form in a suitable construction. Informationen means “information” here. It is the plural of the feminine noun die Information; the singular is eine Information, and the plural is Informationen. The adjective klare describes this noun, giving “clear information.” The first clause, Ein Gast hat eine Ernährungseinschränkung, states that one guest has a dietary restriction. deshalb introduces the consequence, and brauchen wir vor der Bestellung klare Informationen means that, before ordering, we need clear information. Together, the utterance means: “One guest has a dietary restriction, so we need clear information before ordering.”

2. Wir können die Zutaten auflisten.

   We can list the ingredients.

   Wir können

   we can

   Zutaten

   ingredients

   auflisten

   list

   More detail

   Wir können means “we can.” Wir is the first-person plural pronoun, “we.” können is the present-tense form of können with wir; it expresses ability or possibility here. With a modal verb such as können, the other verb stays in the infinitive and goes to the end of the clause: Wir können helfen. — “We can help.” Zutaten means “ingredients.” It is the plural of the feminine noun die Zutat (“ingredient”); the plural form is die Zutaten. The sentence therefore refers to ingredients without stating how many. Example: Die Zutaten sind frisch. — “The ingredients are fresh.” auflisten means “to list.” It is a separable verb: in a regular present-tense main clause without a modal, the parts separate, as in Wir listen die Zutaten auf. — “We list the ingredients.” After können, however, the infinitive remains together at the end: Wir können die Zutaten auflisten. Together, Wir können expresses the ability or possibility, die Zutaten is what is being listed, and auflisten supplies the action. The complete utterance means: “We can list the ingredients.”

3. Aber ich sollte erwähnen, dass die Bereiche für die Zubereitung gemeinsam genutzt werden.

   But I should mention that the prep areas are shared.

   Aber

   but

   ich sollte

   I should

   erwähnen

   mention

   Bereiche

   areas

   Zubereitung

   preparation

   gemeinsam

   together

   genutzt werden

   be used

   More detail

   Aber means “but” and links this statement to what came before, marking a contrast or qualification. ich sollte means “I should.” sollte is the form of sollen used here for a recommendation, obligation, or suitable action; in this sentence it is not simply a past form. The subject is ich, so the reusable pattern is ich sollte + infinitive. Example: Ich sollte anrufen. — “I should call.” erwähnen means “to mention.” It is an infinitive after sollte; the finite verb carries the form, while erwähnen names the action. Example: Sie sollte das Problem erwähnen. — “She should mention the problem.” dass introduces the content of what should be mentioned. In the clause beginning with dass, the finite verb is placed at the end, which is why werden appears after genutzt. die Bereiche means “the areas.” Bereiche is the plural of der Bereich; the singular is “area” and the plural ending is visible in Bereiche. The article die here marks the plural noun phrase. Example: Die Bereiche sind groß. — “The areas are large.” für die Zubereitung means “for preparation” or, in this context, “for preparing [food].” Zubereitung is a feminine noun, commonly used for the act or process of preparing something. After für, the noun phrase is in the accusative; the feminine article still has the form die. Example: Das Gerät ist für die Zubereitung von Speisen. — “The device is for preparing food.” gemeinsam means “together” or “jointly.” Here it says that the use is shared rather than done separately. Example: Wir arbeiten gemeinsam. — “We work together.” genutzt werden means “be used.” genutzt is the past participle of nutzen (“to use”), and werden forms the present passive: something is used. In this subordinate clause, the two parts occur together at the end, with genutzt before werden. Example: Die Räume werden gemeinsam genutzt. — “The rooms are used jointly.” Together, ich sollte erwähnen, dass ... means “I should mention that ...”. Inside that content clause, die Bereiche für die Zubereitung is “the preparation areas,” gemeinsam indicates shared use, and genutzt werden expresses the passive idea “are used.” Thus the whole utterance means: “But I should mention that the prep areas are shared.”

4. Das hilft; der Gast kann entscheiden, welches Risiko für ihn vertretbar ist.

   That helps; the guest can decide what level of risk is acceptable.

   Das

   That

   hilft

   helps

   Gast

   guest

   kann

   can

   entscheiden

   decide

   welches

   which; what

   Risiko

   risk

   für ihn

   for him

   vertretbar

   acceptable

   ist

   is

   More detail

   Das means “that” here and functions as the subject of hilft. As a demonstrative pronoun, it points to an already understood situation or piece of information; it is not the definite article before a noun. Example: Das ist wichtig. — “That is important.” hilft is the present-tense third-person singular form of helfen (“to help”): ich helfe, du hilfst, er/sie/es hilft. The form hilft is used because the subject Das is singular. Example: Der Hinweis hilft. — “The hint helps.” Gast means “guest.” In the sentence, it appears with the definite article der: der Gast, “the guest.” Gast is a masculine noun; its plural is Gäste. Example: Der Gast wartet. — “The guest is waiting.” kann is the third-person singular present form of the modal verb können (“can; be able to”): ich kann, du kannst, er/sie/es kann. A modal verb is followed by an infinitive; here that infinitive is entscheiden, which appears later in the clause. Example: Der Gast kann warten. — “The guest can wait.” entscheiden means “to decide.” With können, it remains in the infinitive. In the embedded question, entscheiden introduces the matter being decided: entscheiden, welches .... Example: Sie muss entscheiden. — “She has to decide.” welches means “which” or, in this context, “what.” It agrees with the neuter singular noun Risiko: welches Risiko. Here welches Risiko ... ist is the subject of the embedded question, not an object. Example: Ich weiß, welches Buch er liest. — “I know which book he is reading.” Risiko means “risk.” It is a neuter noun: das Risiko; its plural is Risiken. The phrase welches Risiko asks which risk or level of risk is being considered. Example: Das Risiko ist gering. — “The risk is low.” für ihn means “for him.” für takes the accusative case, so the masculine personal pronoun is ihn; its nominative form is er. Here ihn refers to the guest, as specified by the fixed translation. Example: Das ist für ihn akzeptabel. — “That is acceptable for him.” vertretbar means “acceptable” or “tolerable” in the relevant sense: something that can reasonably be accepted. It is related to the verb vertreten, but it is not a form of that verb in this sentence; vertretbar is an adjective. Example: Die Lösung ist vertretbar. — “The solution is acceptable.” ist is the third-person singular present form of sein (“to be”). It links welches Risiko with the adjective vertretbar: welches Risiko ... vertretbar ist, “which risk ... is acceptable.” In this embedded clause, the finite verb comes at the end, a normal German word order pattern for a subordinate clause. The utterance first states Das hilft — “That helps.” It then says that der Gast kann entscheiden, “the guest can decide,” followed by the embedded question welches Risiko für ihn vertretbar ist, literally “which risk is acceptable for him.” Together, the fixed meaning is: “That helps; the guest can decide what level of risk is acceptable.”

5. Ich werde die Küche bitten, jede einzelne Komponente zu überprüfen, statt zu raten.

   I'll ask the kitchen to check each component instead of guessing.

   Ich werde

   I will

   Küche

   kitchen

   bitten

   ask; request

   jede einzelne

   each individual

   Komponente

   component

   zu überprüfen

   to check

   statt zu raten

   instead of guessing

   More detail

   Ich werde begins a future construction. werde is the first-person singular present form of werden; with an infinitive later in the clause, it expresses the speaker’s future intention here. The subject Ich is “I.” Example: Ich werde morgen anrufen. — “I will call tomorrow.” Küche means “kitchen” here, but in this utterance it refers to the kitchen team or kitchen operation being asked to perform the check. The feminine noun is singular; its form is unchanged here because the accusative singular of die Küche looks the same as the nominative singular. bitten is the infinitive “to ask” or “to request.” A useful pattern is jemanden bitten, etwas zu tun — “to ask someone to do something.” In this sentence, die Küche is the party being asked, and zu überprüfen states what it is being asked to do. Example: Ich bitte ihn, zu warten. — “I ask him to wait.” jede einzelne emphasizes every item separately. jede is the feminine singular accusative form of jeder, agreeing with Komponente; einzelne is the adjective meaning “individual” or “single.” This does not itself state a numerical count; it stresses that no individual item should be skipped. Example: Wir prüfen jede einzelne Datei. — “We check every single file.” Komponente is a feminine noun meaning “component.” Its plural is Komponenten. In the utterance, the singular form appears after jede einzelne, because that determiner phrase refers to each component one at a time. zu überprüfen means “to check” or “to inspect.” The base verb is überprüfen; zu überprüfen is its infinitive with zu, used as the action requested from the kitchen. Example: Sie verspricht, den Bericht zu überprüfen. — “She promises to check the report.” statt zu raten means “instead of guessing.” statt introduces an alternative, and zu raten is the zu-infinitive of raten. In this context, raten has the sense “to guess,” not its other possible sense “to advise.” The understood subject is the same speaker as in the main clause: the speaker will request checking rather than guessing. Example: Bitte messen Sie nach, statt zu raten. — “Please measure it instead of guessing.” Together, Ich werde ... bitten says “I will ask ...”; die Küche identifies whom the speaker will ask; jede einzelne Komponente zu überprüfen specifies the requested action; and statt zu raten contrasts that careful checking with guessing. The complete meaning is: “I’ll ask the kitchen to check each component instead of guessing.”

6. Bitte beziehen Sie auch Soßen und Toppings mit ein, da man sie leicht übersehen kann.

   Please include sauces and toppings too, since those are easy to miss.

   Bitte

   please

   beziehen … mit ein

   include

   auch

   also; too

   Soßen

   sauces

   Toppings

   toppings

   da

   since; because

   man

   one; people in general

   sie

   them

   leicht

   easily

   übersehen

   miss; overlook

   kann

   can

   More detail

   Bitte makes the utterance a polite request. In German, it can stand at the beginning of an imperative without changing the requested action. beziehen ... mit ein is the observed split verb construction meaning “include.” The finite verb form is beziehen, used with formal Sie; ein is separated to the end, while mit contributes the sense of including something as well. The reusable pattern is etwas mit einbeziehen or, in a formal request, Bitte beziehen Sie etwas mit ein. Example: Beziehen Sie die Beilage mit ein. — “Include the side dish as well.” auch adds the sauces and toppings to what should already be included: “also” or “too.” It does not itself specify a number. Soßen is the plural of Soße, “sauce.” The plural ending is part of the noun form here. Toppings is the plural of the loanword Topping, referring here to topping ingredients or additions. Together, these nouns name the items to be included. da introduces the reason for the request and is equivalent here to “since” or “because.” It begins a subordinate clause, so the finite verb comes at the end of that clause. man is an impersonal pronoun meaning “one” or “people in general.” It does not identify a particular person. In man kann ..., the verb is grammatically third-person singular because man takes that agreement. sie is the plural accusative pronoun “them” in this sentence. The fixed translation identifies it as referring to the sauces and toppings. Its plural form matches that group, and its accusative form marks it as what can be overlooked. leicht is an adverb meaning “easily” here. It describes how readily the items may be overlooked, rather than describing the items themselves. Compare leicht übersehen — “easy to overlook.” übersehen is the infinitive meaning “overlook” or “miss” in this context. With the modal verb kann, it remains in the infinitive at the end of the subordinate clause. Do not confuse this use with other possible meanings of the same form in different contexts. kann is the third-person singular present form of können, “can” or “be able to.” The pattern man kann etwas übersehen means “one can overlook something.” The modal carries the finite position and the infinitive supplies the main action. The whole sentence therefore requests that sauces and toppings also be included, giving the reason that people can easily miss them. The formal Sie imperative makes it suitable for a polite request.

7. Ich sorge dafür, dass die Küche auch diese separat überprüft.

   I'll make sure they check those separately.

   Ich sorge dafür

   I’ll make sure

   Küche

   kitchen

   diese

   those

   separat

   separately

   überprüft

   checks

   More detail

   Ich sorge dafür is a reusable way to say “I’ll make sure” or “I take care of ensuring something.” The verb is sorgen; sorge is its present-tense first-person singular form. With dafür, dass ..., it introduces the action the speaker will ensure: Ich sorge dafür, dass ... = “I’ll make sure that ...”. Küche means “kitchen.” It is the feminine noun die Küche, and German nouns are capitalized. Here, die Küche is the grammatical subject of the subordinate clause. The fixed translation renders this actor with “they,” but it does not provide an English noun equivalent to Küche; the German noun and its singular grammatical form should therefore be kept distinct from the pronoun chosen in the translation. diese means “those” here. It is a plural demonstrative form referring to the plural items supported by the supplied context, and it is the accusative object of überprüft. The form diese can also occur in other grammatical roles; its object role here is shown by the clause structure. separat means “separately.” It is an adverb here, so it does not inflect. Example: Wir prüfen die Dateien separat. — “We check the files separately.” überprüft means “checks” here. Its base form is überprüfen; überprüft is the present-tense third-person singular form. It matches the singular subject die Küche grammatically. In a German subordinate clause introduced by dass, the finite verb comes at the end: ..., dass die Küche diese separat überprüft. Together, Ich sorge dafür, dass ... expresses the speaker’s commitment to ensure the following action. The subordinate clause says that die Küche checks those items separately; the fixed translation expresses the actor as “they,” giving the supplied meaning: “I’ll make sure they check those separately.”

8. Dann kann jeder bestellen, ohne den Gast unter Druck zu setzen.

   Then everyone can order without putting pressure on the guest.

   Dann

   then

   kann jeder

   everyone can

   bestellen

   order

   ohne

   without

   Gast

   guest

   unter Druck zu setzen

   to put under pressure

   More detail

   Dann means “then” and links this statement to a time or situation already established. It can also introduce a consequence: Dann gehen wir. — “Then we’ll go.” kann jeder combines the modal verb können with jeder. Here kann is the third-person singular present form of können, “can” or “is able to”; jeder is grammatically singular even though its meaning is distributive “everyone” or “each person.” The form does not state a particular numerical count. Compare Alle können bestellen. — “Everyone can order,” where alle is plural and therefore uses können. bestellen is the infinitive “to order.” After the modal verb kann, German places the other verb in the infinitive: Jeder kann bestellen. — “Everyone can order.” The sentence expresses ability or permission in context, while the fixed translation supports the intended meaning “can order.” ohne introduces an absence: “without.” With a verb, it commonly introduces an infinitive clause with zu, as in ohne zu warten — “without waiting.” Gast means “guest.” In the utterance, den Gast is the definite accusative singular form “the guest”; den marks the masculine singular noun as the object of the action. The noun itself is Gast, and its plural is Gäste. unter Druck zu setzen is the infinitive form of the expression jemanden unter Druck setzen, “to put someone under pressure.” setzen is the base verb “to put” or “to set”; with zu, it becomes zu setzen in this infinitive clause. The person affected appears as an accusative object, here den Gast. For example, Ich möchte dich nicht unter Druck setzen. — “I don’t want to put you under pressure.” Together, ohne den Gast unter Druck zu setzen means “without putting the guest under pressure.” The complete structure is Dann + kann jeder bestellen + ohne ... zu setzen: “Then everyone can order without putting the guest under pressure.”

9. Sobald ich die Einzelheiten habe, komme ich zurück und gehe sie mit Ihnen durch.

   Once I have the details, I'll come back and walk you through them.

   Sobald

   as soon as

   ich

   I

   Einzelheiten

   details

   habe

   have

   komme … zurück

   come back

   und

   and

   gehe … durch

   go through

   sie

   them

   mit

   with

   Ihnen

   you (formal)

   More detail

   Sobald introduces a time condition meaning “as soon as.” It starts a subordinate clause, so the finite verb comes at the end of that clause. Example: Sobald ich Zeit habe, rufe ich dich an. — “As soon as I have time, I’ll call you.” ich is the first-person singular subject, “I.” It identifies the speaker as the person who will have the details and return. Einzelheiten means “details” here. It is the plural of Einzelheit (“detail”). The plural form is appropriate because the fixed meaning refers to multiple details. Example: Ich kenne die Einzelheiten noch nicht. — “I don’t know the details yet.” habe is the first-person singular present form of haben, “to have.” In this clause it expresses possession or availability: the speaker will have the details. The useful present-tense pattern is ich habe; other forms include du hast and sie hat. komme ... zurück is the separable verb zurückkommen, “to come back.” In a main clause, the finite part komme occupies the normal verb position while the prefix zurück moves to the end. The form komme is first-person singular present. Example: Ich komme morgen zurück. — “I’ll come back tomorrow.” und links the return action to the following action: “and.” The second coordinated clause has its own finite verb. gehe ... durch is the separable verb durchgehen, “to go through.” Here gehe is first-person singular present, and durch is the separated prefix at the end. Example: Wir gehen den Plan gemeinsam durch. — “We’ll go through the plan together.” sie is the accusative plural pronoun “them.” In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies it as referring to the details. Its plural form matches Einzelheiten; its accusative role marks the material being gone through. This is distinct from dative plural ihnen, “to them.” mit means “with” and introduces the person accompanying the discussion. It governs the dative case. Ihnen is the formal “you” after mit, so it is dative. The capital letter is part of the standard spelling of formal second-person forms. Compare formal nominative or accusative Sie with dative Ihnen. Together, the first clause sets the condition: as soon as the speaker has the details. The following coordinated clauses state that the speaker will return and then go through those details with the addressee. The separable verbs place their prefixes at the end of their respective main clauses, producing the overall meaning “Once I have the details, I’ll come back and walk you through them.”