How do you say "from X to Y" in German?

Question

How do you say "from X to Y" in German? I am not sure if I am supposed to write an article with "zu": > Ich höre mir alle Arten deutscher Musik an, vom Rock bis zu(r?) Hip-Hop. I listen to all types of music from rock to hip-hop. What if I leave out the article, will it change the meaning of the sentence? Here's another sentence: >Ich kann alles erledigen: Vom Boden fegen bis zu(m?) Geschirr waschen. I can do everything from sweeping the floor to washing the dishes. Is there any way to know when to put an article and when not to?

Answer 1

The infinitive with "zu" is a construct of sentence which typically does not alter the meaning. There are certain verbs that are followed by that clause. But general rules, I am afraid do not exist.

It depends on what you wish to express:

"... von A bis Z ..." when referring to all

"... von A nach B ..." for motion between points, places, people

As for your examples:

Ich höre alle Arten deutscher Musik, von Rock bis Hip-Hop.

Ich kann alles erledigen, von Boden fegen bis Geschirr spülen.