Ich bin nicht hier, um dir zu gefallen
I'm not here to please you – “Für die Sterne” by Dota Kehr
Have you ever met someone whose perspective and attitude towards life caused you to slow down and see things differently yourself? In “Für die Sterne”, Berlin-based singer-songwriter Dota Kehr describes a young man who seemed to already know exactly who he was, and who he wasn’t.
While many trudge through life with the goal of impressing others and filling their wallets, this young man could clearly articulate his own focus on self-growth, learning, and enjoying the beauty of the world around him – he is here “für die Sterne” (for the stars), not “um dir zu gefallen” (in order to please you”).
In this beautifully-crafted song, Dota invites us to consider our own life values – and also gives us an excellent opportunity to look more closely at the “um + zu + infinitive” construction in German.
Ich bin nicht hier, um mich zu bemühen
I am not here in order to strive
Ich bin hier, um zu glühen
I’m here to glow
Ich bin hier, um zu blühen
I’m here to bloom
Ich bin nicht hier, um dir zu gefallen
I’m not here to please you
Nein, ich bin hier für die Sterne
No, I’m here for the stars
Und ich bin hier sehr gerne
And I’m happy to be here
Und ich bin hier, weil ich lerne
And I’m here because I learn
Ich bin nicht hier, um dir zu gefallen
I’m not here to please you
There are times when writing or speaking when we want to describe not only what is happening, but why – what is the end goal of a particular action or circumstance?
One way that we phrase this in English is using the phrase “in order to”:
I am studying in order to pass my exams.
I am saving money in order to buy a house.
I am learning German in order to…
In German, the equivalent of “in order to” is “um + zu + infinitive verb”:
Ich lerne, um meine Prüfungen zu bestehen.
Ich spare Geld, um ein Haus zu kaufen.
(The infinitive is the basic form of a verb that has not been conjugated – these verbs usually end in -en or -n in German.)
In grammar-speak, this “infinitive clause” is a type of subordinate clause which comes after the main clause of a sentence, usually at the end of the sentence and following a comma.
In the case of separable verbs, the “zu” appears between the prefix and main part of the infinitive verb:
Ich habe meinen Wecker gestellt, um früh aufzustehen.
I set my alarm clock in order to wake up early.
“Für die Sterne” includes multiple examples of this infinitive clause construction in action:
Ich bin nicht hier, um mich zu bemühen
I am not here in order to strive
Ich bin hier, um zu glühen
I’m here (in order) to glow
Ich bin hier, um zu blühen
I’m here (in order) to bloom
Ich bin nicht hier, um dir zu gefallen
I am not here in order to please you.
Here are a few additional words from “Für die Sterne” to add to your vocabulary list:
seltsam – strange
weise – wise
versunken – sunken
leise – quiet
die Naturgewalten – the forces of nature
sich bemühen – to strive / to make an effort
glühen – to glow
blühen – to bloom
die Regionalbahn – the regional train
der Stern / die Sterne – the star / the stars
lauschen – to listen
die Bilanz – the balance (especially related to finances)
der Glanz – the shine
Study Guide: “Für die Sterne”
For more practice with infinitive clauses with “um…zu” and an expanded vocabulary list, check out the full Sprachmelodie Study Guide for “Für die Sterne”: