Es ist alles, alles jetzt
It’s all now – "Alles ist jetzt" by Bosse
Amidst the grind of everyday life, it’s easy to find ourselves wishing for more than we currently have, or dreaming of a grand “someday” that has yet to occur. In “Alles ist jetzt” (“Everything is now”), German pop rock singer Axel Bosse challenges us to look with fresh eyes at what is already in front of us and rediscover the value of the present moment.
Alongside a colorful and creative music video that will have you ready to dance, the song also gives us a chance to look more closely at infinitive phrases using the preposition “zu” in German.
Ich hab’ gelernt, das Leben zu genießen
I have learned to enjoy life
Meine Freunde wie Blumen zu gießen
To water my friends like flowers
Ich hab’ gelernt, das Feuer zu schüren
I’ve learned to stoke the fire
Den Zauber nicht zu verlieren
Not to lose the magic
Ich hab’ gelernt, der erste Blick täuscht
I’ve learned that first glances are deceiving
Und, dass es gut ist, wenn man sich verläuft
And that it’s good to get lost
Ich hab’ gelernt, auch wenn’s mies ist
I’ve learned that even when it’s bad
Geht die Sonne trotzdem auf
The sun rises anyway
In German, the infinitive verb form is the base or root form of a verb, which ends in -en or -n. Here’s few examples of infinitive verbs found in this song:
genießen – to enjoy
verlieren – to lose
feiern – to celebrate
schätzen – to appreciate / to value
Infinitive verbs are often used together with other conjugated verb forms, and may be found with or without the preposition “zu”:
Ich muss bald gehen.
I must go soon.Ich liebe es, Eis zu essen.
I love to eat ice cream.
(For more info on which verbs require the use of “zu”, check out this article by Lingolia.)
In “Alles ist jetzt”, we find a number of what are called infinitive clauses – a special type of subordinate clause that utilizes an infinitive verb and “zu”:
Ich hab’ gelernt, das Leben zu genießen
I have learned to enjoy life
Meine Freunde wie Blumen zu gießen
To water my friends like flowers
Ich hab’ gelernt, das Feuer zu schüren
I’ve learned to stoke the fire
Den Zauber nicht zu verlieren
Not to lose the magicIch hab’ gelernt zu feiern
I’ve learned to celebrate
Und zu schätzen was ich hab’
And to appreciate what I have
In the examples above, the infinitive clauses are referring to the sentence’s subject – in this case, the first-person pronoun ich. Infinitive clauses can also refer to an object or an impersonal form – you can find more examples and details regarding that here.
You may have also encountered the “um + zu” infinitive clause, which communicates an action’s purpose and roughly corresponds to the English phrase “in order to”:
Ich lerne, um meine Prüfungen zu bestehen.
I am studying in order to pass my exams.Ich spare Geld, um ein Haus zu kaufen.
I am saving money in order to buy a house.
For more great examples (and further explanation) of the “um + zu” infinitive clause, check out the song post for “Für die Sterne” by Dota Kehr, where this concept is explored in further detail.
Here are a few additional words from “Alles ist jetzt” to add to your vocabulary list:
lernen – to learn
das Leben – the life
genießen – to enjoy
gießen – to water
schüren – to kindle / to stoke
der Zauber – the magic
täuschen – to deceive
sich verlaufen – to get lost
zündend – igniting
jetzt – now
das Lachen – the laughter
die Freude – the joy
der Hüftschwung – the hip swing
das Glück – the happiness
die Liebe – the love
der Mut – the courage
feiern – to celebrate
schätzen – to appreciate / to value