Hallo zusammen! 👋
Today, we will learn how to use bis and zu correctly with expressions of time and distance.
This blog will help you understand when to choose bis and when to choose zu in German sentences. 📚📝
Explanation:
- Bis is equivalent to until in English.
It is used to indicate an endpoint.
For example:
Ich arbeite bis 6 Uhr.
(I work until 6 o’clock.)
Or
Fahre bis zur Kreuzung.
(Drive until the intersection.)
In both sentences, there is an endpoint, so we use bis and not zu. - On the other hand, zu indicates movement towards a point.
For example:
Ich gehe zu meiner Freundin.
(I am going to my friend.)
Or
Wir laufen zu dem Park.
(We are walking to the park.)
As you may have noticed, we use zu to indicate that we are moving toward a person or a place, but there is no endpoint. So, we use zu and not bis.
Summary:
To use bis and zu correctly:
- Use bis to express an endpoint in time or distance.
- Use zu to indicate movement towards a person or place without an endpoint.
Extra Examples:
Here are some extra examples to help you practice:
- Der Zug fährt bis Berlin.
(The train goes until Berlin.) – Using bis for an endpoint. - Ich bleibe bis Ende der Woche.
(I stay until the end of the week.) – Using bis for a time endpoint. - Gehen wir zur Schule?
(Are we going to the school?) – Using zu for movement towards a place.
To reinforce what you’ve just read, check out our engaging video below! 🎥👇
