If the subject of both main and dependent clause is identical, um zu is preferred to
damit.Unlike in English, the um cannot be omitted. Um zu is followed by an infinitive at the
end of the clause. See 8.7 (p. 13) for infinitive clauses.
Arbeitet man, um zu leben, oder lebt man, um zu arbeiten?
Does one work in order to live, or (does one) live in order to work?Was soll man bei einer Bruchlandung tun, um einen möglichen
Brand zu überleben?
What should one do during a crash landing (in order) to survive a
(possible) fire?NOTE Es ist zu schön, um wahr zu sein.
It is too good to be true.If there is another zu in the previous clause, um zu usually means ‘too... to
be... ’See also 82.1c (p. 297) for this use of zu.
79.3 Asking about reasons
warum? ‘why?’
wieso? ‘why?/how come?’
weshalb? ‘why?’
wozu? ‘to what purpose?/what... for?/why’
aus welchem Grund? ‘for which reason?/why?’- Warum hast du große Zähne! – Damit ich dich besser fressen
kann. - What big teeth you have! – All the better to eat you with.
(Little Red Riding Hood)
Wieso willst du nicht mitspielen?
How come you don’t want to play with us?(Wieso, particularly the short question Wieso nicht ‘why not’, sometimes sounds
impatient and challenging.)Weshalb fahren Sie denn immer an den gleichen Ferienort?
Why do you always go to the same holiday resort?Wozu bist du denn in die Stadt gefahren?
Why (lit. To what purpose) did you go into town then?Wozu soll das gut sein?
What is the point of it?/What is it in aid of?79
PUTTING EVENTS INTO A WIDER CONTEXT