A2 · Subordinate clauses
dass, weil, wenn
the verb at the end
The three commonest conjunctions, and the one position they all produce.
A subordinating conjunction sends the conjugated verb to the end of its clause. Er kommt morgen becomes ..., dass er morgen kommt. Everything else in the clause keeps its order; only the verb moves, and it moves all the way.
The three you need first are dass (that), weil (because) and wenn (if, when). Wenn covers both English words for a repeated or future event; for a single event in the past it is als, which is a distinction English does not make and German insists on.
If a separable verb ends up at the end, it rejoins its prefix and is written as one word: ..., dass der Zug um sieben ankommt. And if there are two verbs, the conjugated one goes last of all, behind the infinitive or participle: ..., weil ich nicht kommen kann.
Die Form
| main clause | Er kommt morgen. |
| with dass | Ich weiß, dass er morgen kommt. |
| with weil | Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet. |
| with wenn | Wenn es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause. |
| two verbs | ..., weil ich nicht kommen kann. |
Die Regeln im Einzelnen
After dass, weil, wenn, ob, obwohl and während the conjugated verb stands at the end of the clause.
Ich glaube, dass sie recht hat.I think she is right.
A comma always separates the two clauses.
Er sagt, dass er später kommt.He says he is coming later.
If the subordinate clause comes first, it fills the first position and the main verb follows the comma directly.
Weil es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause.Because it is raining we are staying at home.
With two verbs, the conjugated one goes last: ..., weil ich arbeiten muss.
Ich kann nicht, weil ich arbeiten muss.I cannot, because I have to work.
Genauer hingesehen
denn is not weil
Denn also means "because" and does something quite different: it is a coordinating conjunction, so it does not move the verb at all. Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn es regnet keeps ordinary main-clause order on both sides.
The two are not fully interchangeable. Weil can begin a sentence and answers the question "why?"; denn can only join two statements already made and reads slightly more formal. For a learner the useful point is the escape route: if a weil clause is getting long and tangled, denn says the same thing with no reordering at all.
Ausnahmen und Sonderfälle (2)
-
the conjunction is und, aber, oder, denn or sondern
nothing moves — these are coordinating and the verb stays second.
Ich komme später, aber ich komme.I will come later, but I will come.
They join two main clauses rather than subordinating one to the other.
-
the sentence is a single past event
use als, not wenn.
Als der Zug ankam, war es schon dunkel.When the train arrived it was already dark.
German splits English "when": wenn for a repeated or future event, als for one occasion in the past.
Woran man es erkennt
- dass
- weil
- wenn
- als
- ob
- obwohl
- damit
- während
Beispielsätze
Ich hoffe, dass alles gut geht.I hope everything goes well.
Sie ist müde, weil sie schlecht geschlafen hat.She is tired because she slept badly.
Wenn du Zeit hast, ruf mich an.If you have time, give me a call.
Als ich klein war, wohnten wir in Kiel.When I was little we lived in Kiel.
Er fragt, ob wir mitkommen.He is asking whether we are coming.
Noch 8 Beispielsätze
Ich weiß nicht, ob das stimmt.I do not know whether that is right.
Obwohl es spät war, sind wir noch spazieren gegangen.Although it was late we still went for a walk.
Sie hat angerufen, während ich geduscht habe.She called while I was in the shower.
Wir nehmen den Bus, damit wir pünktlich sind.We are taking the bus so that we are on time.
Er tut so, als ob nichts passiert wäre.He is acting as if nothing had happened.
Wenn ich Zeit hätte, würde ich mitkommen.If I had time I would come along.
Ich hoffe, dass der Zug pünktlich ankommt.I hope the train arrives on time.
Bevor wir gehen, muss ich noch telefonieren.Before we go I still have to make a call.
Besonderheiten (2)
-
dass can be left out, and then nothing moves
German can drop <z>dass</z> after verbs of saying and thinking, exactly as English drops "that" — and when it does, the clause reverts to ordinary main-clause order: <z>Ich glaube, er kommt später</z>. Both versions are correct and the second is commoner in speech. What is wrong is the mixture: dropping <z>dass</z> and still sending the verb to the end.
Ich glaube, er kommt später.I think he is coming later.
-
weil with main-clause order is spoken German
You will hear <z>weil ich muss noch arbeiten</z> in conversation across the German-speaking area. It is widespread, it is not accepted in writing, and it usually marks a reason added as an afterthought rather than as part of the sentence planned from the start. Worth recognising; not worth imitating while learning.
Ich komme nicht, weil ich muss noch arbeiten.I am not coming, because — I still have to work.
Die typisch deutsche Falle
Aufgepasst
The verb goes to the very end, behind everything — not to somewhere near the end. Anything that would normally follow the verb has to go in front of it. This is the mistake that survives longest, because a sentence with the verb one word too early is perfectly understandable and audibly foreign.
Comma, conjunction, everything else, verb.
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