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German Phrase

Lass uns zuerst in den Kühlschrank schauen.

/las ʊns ˈt͡sɔʏ̯ɐt ɪn deːn ˈkyːlˌʃʁaŋk ˈʃaʊ̯ən/
Meaning"Let's first look in the fridge."
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Meaning

The sentence is a friendly suggestion meaning ‘Let’s first look in the fridge.’ It combines an imperative construction with a reflexive pronoun to include the speaker and the listener in the action. The adverb *zuerst* signals that this should be the first step before doing something else.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you and someone else are deciding what to eat or drink and you want to check the refrigerator before moving on to other options. It works in casual settings – at home, in a shared apartment, or when you’re helping a friend in the kitchen.

✦Grammar Breakdown

LassunszuerstindenKühlschrankschauen

1

Lass (imperative of lassen)

‘Lass’ is the 2nd‑person singular imperative of *lassen* and is used to form a polite suggestion together with ‘uns’.

2

uns (reflexive pronoun)

‘uns’ is the accusative reflexive pronoun meaning ‘us’; it turns the suggestion into a joint action.

3

zuerst (adverb)

‘zuerst’ means ‘first’ and is placed before the prepositional phrase to indicate the order of actions.

4

in den Kühlschrank (prepositional phrase, accusative)

The preposition *in* with a destination takes the accusative case, hence ‘den’ (masc. accusative) before *Kühlschrank*.

5

schauen (infinitive verb)

After ‘lassen + uns’, the main verb stays in the infinitive – here *schauen* (to look/peek).

🗨In Conversation

A

Lass uns zuerst in den Kühlschrank schauen.

Let's first look in the fridge.

Gute Idee, vielleicht haben wir noch Milch.

Good idea, maybe we still have milk.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Lass uns zuerst in das Kühlschrank schauen.

    ‘Kühlschrank’ is masculine; after *in* with direction you need the accusative masculine article *den*, not *das*.

  • Lass uns zuerst in den Kühlschrank gucken.

    While *gucken* is colloquial, the standard phrase taught in most language courses uses *schauen*.

  • Lass uns zuerst in den Kühlschrank zu schauen.

    The infinitive after *lassen* does not take *zu*; adding it makes the sentence ungrammatical.

↔Alternatives

  • Schauen wir zuerst in den Kühlschrank.

    Let's first look in the fridge.

  • Wir sollten zuerst in den Kühlschrank schauen.

    We should first look in the fridge.

  • Zuerst schauen wir in den Kühlschrank, ja?

    First, shall we look in the fridge?

de

Cultural Tip

In German households the fridge is often the first place people check for snacks or drinks, especially during a casual gathering. Using ‘Lass uns …’ sounds friendly but still polite; avoid overly informal verbs like *gucken* unless you’re speaking with close friends. Also note that the article *den* signals the accusative case required after the preposition *in* when indicating movement toward a location.