what is to become of us

[longway]

hello,

could anybody exactly explain me the sentence:
"what is to become of us?"

what's the direct translation of this phrase (in german) ?

> was, ist, werden, von, uns

i know the meaning, i think.. > was wird aus uns? (.. don't i?)
for me the construction is so unusual, therefore/hence i'm asking.

[friendly2004]

Klingt für mich ganz spontan etwas lyrisch oder gesellschaftskritisch
"Was wird aus uns" ist nicht falsch. Ich würde allerdings "Was soll (nun) aus uns werden" nehmen.

Dieses "to be to" + Infinitiv wird in der Gegenwart und in der Vergangenheit als modales Hilfsverb gebraucht. Es hat die Bedeutung von "sollen".
Dadurch kann man bspw. einen Wunsch oder einen Befehl einer anderen - einer dritten - Person mitteilen:


"Mr. Smith, you are to leave this premises immediately" (sagte der Sicherheitsbeamte des Unternehmens auf Anweisung von oben).
"Mike, remeber, you are not to come before three pm" (sagte die Sekretärin, da der Chef nicht beim Zeitungslesen gestört werden wollte)


Du kannst dadurch aber auch eine Vereinbarung/Planung ausdrücken:

"Sue is to arrive on Tuesday evening" - Sue soll (oder eben auch "wird") am Dienstagabend ankommen.


Wenn Sue dann aber nicht kam, sagt man:

"Sue was to have arrived on Tuesday evening."


Und letzten Endes kann das ganze auch so etwas wie Verbot sein:

"My mum says I am not to do it again."

[longway]

Hey, many thanks !
(I'm still talking in english for learning )

One can use it like an command you've already explained.
Then I normally could use different constellations, for instance:

I have to do my homework
I must do my homework
I shall do my homework
I am to do my homework

Can't I? Is it all the same?

But what can i use changing the example "what is to become of us?!
What have to become of us has another meaning, right?
It rather stands for a determined destiny, but not for a command, doesn't it?

Regards (:

[schnip]

It depends on if you want to understand the grammar or the content.

It seems as if to be to is a polite or not commonly used form.

[Delfino]

Hey,
Many thanks!
I'm still talking in English for practising it

One can use it as an order / as a command like you've already mentioned.
This means I can use different wordings for the same meaning, for instance:

I have to do my homework.
I must do my homework.
I shall do my homework.
I am to do my homework.

Can I?
Do all of them really mean the same?

But what can I use to change the example "What is to become of us?" ?

"What have to become of us?" has another meaning, right?

It rather stands for a determined destiny, but not for a command, doesn't it?

Regards