How do you say "First open the file." in German?

"First open the file." in German is "Zuerst die Datei öffnen.". This phrase is commonly used in Germany.

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How to Say ‘First open the file.’ in German

Q: What does "Zuerst die Datei öffnen." mean in English?

"Zuerst die Datei öffnen." means "First open the file." in English. Usage tip: This is a common instruction style: [Zuerst] + the thing + verb at the end, without [du] or [Sie]. You'll hear the same pattern in manuals and spoken walkthroughs: [Dann das Fenster schließen.]

Zuerst die Datei öffnen.

TSOO-airst dee dah-TIE UHF-nen

[TSOO-airst dee dah-TIE UHF-nen]

💬 Usage Tip: This is a common instruction style: [Zuerst] + the thing + verb at the end, without [du] or [Sie]. You'll hear the same pattern in manuals and spoken walkthroughs: [Dann das Fenster schließen.]

🇩🇪 In Germany: This clipped instruction style is very normal when someone is guiding you through software or a task. It sounds practical, not rude.

Phrase Breakdown

Zuerst

[TSOO-airst]

first

Signals the first step in a sequence.

Example

Zuerst die Datei öffnen, dann weitergehen.

First open the file, then continue.

Die Datei öffnen

dee dah-TIE UHF-nen

open the file

Describes the action to take as the initial step.

Example

Bitte die Datei öffnen.

Please open the file.

Words in this phrase

die

[dee]

the

Feminine article used with 'Datei'.

Example

Zuerst die Datei öffnen und dann lesen.

First open the file and then read.

Datei

[dah-TIE]

file

A computer file or document.

Example

Zuerst die Datei öffnen auf dem Laptop.

First open the file on the laptop.

öffnen

[UHF-nen]

open

Infinitive verb used in instruction style after 'zuerst'.

Example

Zuerst die Datei öffnen, bitte.

First open the file, please.

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