German Phrase
Diese Schlange kommt nur langsam voran.
Meaning
Literally, "This snake is only moving forward slowly." In everyday German, "Schlange" often refers to a line of people, so the sentence usually means "The queue is only moving forward very slowly."
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to comment on a slow‑moving line—whether it’s a literal line of snakes at a zoo or, more commonly, a waiting line at a bank, supermarket, or event.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DieseSchlangekommtnurlangsamvoran
Demonstrative Pronoun
"Diese" points to a specific noun and agrees in gender, number, and case (here: nominative feminine singular).
Noun Gender & Case
"Schlange" is a feminine noun (die Schlange) and here stands in the nominative case as the subject.
Separable Verb "vorankommen"
"kommt ... voran" is the present tense of the separable verb "vorankommen"; the prefix "voran" moves to the end of the clause.
Adverb "nur"
"nur" limits the statement to "only", modifying the whole predicate.
Adverb "langsam"
"langsam" describes the manner of movement and is placed before the separable prefix for emphasis.
🗨In Conversation
Diese Schlange kommt nur langsam voran.
The queue is only moving forward slowly.
Ja, wir sollten uns besser einen Kaffee holen, bevor wir dran kommen.
Yeah, we might as well get a coffee before it’s our turn.
✕Common Mistakes
Diese Schlange kommt nur langsam vor.
The verb "vorankommen" is separable; the prefix must appear at the end of the clause.
Diese Schlange kommt langsam nur voran.
Placing "nur" after "langsam" changes the emphasis; the natural order is "nur langsam".
Diese Schlange kommt nur langsam voran.
When referring to a line of people, "Warteschlange" is clearer and more idiomatic.
↔Alternatives
Die Schlange bewegt sich nur langsam.
The line is moving only slowly.
Die Warteschlange schreitet nur langsam voran.
The waiting line is only making slow progress.
Es geht nur ganz langsam voran.
It’s only progressing very slowly.
Cultural Tip
In German, "Schlange" can mean both a reptile and a line of people. In formal contexts (e.g., at a bank or airport) you’ll often hear "Warteschlange" or "Schlange" with a clarifying adjective. The separable verb "vorankommen" is common in business and everyday speech to talk about progress, so mastering its split position is essential for sounding natural.