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German Phrase

Bereite deinen Fall gründlich vor.

/bəˈʁaɪ̯tə ˈdaɪ̯nən ˈfal ˈɡʁʏn.tlɪç fɔʁ/
Meaning"Prepare your case thoroughly."
💡

Meaning

This imperative sentence tells someone to get their case ready in a thorough manner. It can refer to a legal case, a presentation, or any situation that requires careful preparation.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you want to emphasize the need for detailed preparation, especially in professional or academic contexts such as law school, business meetings, or project planning.

✦Grammar Breakdown

BereitedeinenFallgründlichvor

1

Imperativ (du)

The verb 'bereiten' in the imperative for 'du' drops the ending -e, giving 'Bereite'.

2

Trennbares Verb

‘vorbereiten’ is a separable verb; in the imperative the prefix ‘vor’ moves to the end of the clause.

3

Akkusativobjekt

‘Fall’ is the direct object and therefore in the accusative; the possessive pronoun must agree: ‘deinen’.

4

Adverbialer Zusatz

‘gründlich’ is an adverb modifying the verb, placed before the separable prefix.

🗨In Conversation

A

Bereite deinen Fall gründlich vor.

Prepare your case thoroughly.

Ja, ich sammle alle Beweise und erstelle eine klare Gliederung.

Yes, I’m gathering all the evidence and creating a clear outline.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Bereite dein Fall gründlich vor.

    ‘Fall’ is accusative, so the possessive must be ‘deinen’, not ‘dein’.

  • Vorbereite deinen Fall gründlich.

    In the imperative the separable prefix must be placed at the end, not attached to the verb stem.

  • Bereite deinen Fall vor gründlich.

    The adverb ‘gründlich’ should stay before the separable prefix, not after it.

↔Alternatives

  • Mach deine Argumentation gründlich aus.

    Make your argumentation thorough.

  • Stelle deinen Fall sorgfältig zusammen.

    Assemble your case carefully.

  • Bereite deine Präsentation gründlich vor.

    Prepare your presentation thoroughly.

de

Cultural Tip

In German, the separable prefix ‘vor’ always moves to the end of the clause in the imperative, which can feel unusual to English speakers. Also, using the formal ‘Sie’ form would change the sentence to ‘Bereiten Sie Ihren Fall gründlich vor.’ – choose the form based on your relationship with the listener.