ohne … zu and (an)statt … zu

When you use it

1. 1

   Something expected didn't happen

   • Er hat das Büro verlassen, ohne den Computer herunterzufahren.He left the office without shutting down the computer.
   • Sie hat die neue Software installiert, ohne vorher das Team zu informieren.She installed the new software without telling the team first.

   Use ohne … zu when someone does one thing but skips something normal or expected. In English: without + -ing.

2. 2

   Something else happened instead

   • Er surft privat im Internet, anstatt den dringenden Bericht zu schreiben.He is surfing the internet for private things instead of writing the urgent report.
   • Sie hat einfach gekündigt, anstatt nach einem Kompromiss zu suchen.She simply quit instead of looking for a compromise.

   Use anstatt … zu or statt … zu when someone does one thing in place of what was expected. Both mean "instead of" + -ing.

3. 3

   Start with the infinitive clause

   • Ohne ein einziges Wort zu sagen, verließ die Projektleiterin das Meeting.Without saying a single word, the project manager left the meeting.
   • Statt die Konflikte offen anzusprechen, ignorieren sich die Kollegen.Instead of talking openly about the conflicts, the colleagues ignore each other.

   Put the ohne or statt clause first to stress it. The whole clause is position 1, so the main verb comes right after the comma.

The forms

Step by step

1. 1

   Check the subject

   Who does each action? The colleague sent the email. The colleague didn't ask the project lead. Same subject, so use ohne … zu.

2. 2

   Write the main clause and a comma

   The main clause has its verb in position 2. Then put a comma and ohne or (an)statt.

   • Der Kollege hat die E-Mail an den Kunden geschickt, ohne ...
3. 3

   Add the details, not the subject

   Don't repeat er. Put the objects and other details in the middle.

   • ..., ohne vorher die Projektleitung ...
4. 4

   Put zu + infinitive at the end

   The verb with zu closes the clause: fragen → zu fragen.

   • Der Kollege hat die E-Mail an den Kunden geschickt, ohne vorher die Projektleitung zu fragen.The colleague sent the email to the customer without asking the project lead first.
5. 5

   Or start with the clause

   To stress the missing action, put the clause first. After the comma comes the main verb, then the subject.

   • Anstatt direkt auf meine Frage zu antworten, sprach er über ein völlig anderes Thema.Instead of answering my question directly, he talked about a completely different topic.

Common mistakes

• ✕ Er ging ohne sprechend.

  ✓ Er ging, ohne zu sprechen.

  German has no preposition + -ing. Use ohne … zu + infinitive, with a comma.

• ✕ ohne mit zu arbeiten

  ✓ ohne mitzuarbeiten

  Separable verb: zu goes between prefix and stem, all in one word.

• ✕ Er verließ das Büro ohne zu sagen Tschüss.

  ✓ Er verließ das Büro, ohne Tschüss zu sagen.

  zu sagen goes at the very end. Objects like Tschüss stand before it.

• No -ing form in German+
• Separable verbs are one word+
• ohne and statt with a noun+
• Finished before: gelesen zu haben+

Don't mix it up