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German 2 Unit 8: Subordinate Clauses and Word Order

German word order follows a few strict rules about where the conjugated verb goes. Mastering verb-second main clauses and verb-final subordinate clauses lets you build longer, connected sentences.

Covers: Verb-second rule and inversion, Coordinating conjunctions (und, aber, oder, denn, sondern), Subordinating conjunctions and verb-final order, Weil versus denn, Wenn, als and wann, Indirect questions with ob and question words, Time-manner-place in the middle field

Study guide

In a German main clause, the conjugated verb is always the second element. The first position can hold the subject, but it can also hold a time expression, an object, or a whole clause. When something other than the subject comes first, the subject moves to the spot right after the verb; this is called inversion. Ich fahre morgen nach Berlin can become Morgen fahre ich nach Berlin. Note that position two means the second building block, not the second word: In den Sommerferien fahre ich nach Berlin. In the middle of the sentence, adverbs usually follow the order time, manner, place (TeKaMoLo): Ich fahre morgen mit dem Zug nach Berlin.

Coordinating conjunctions join two main clauses without changing word order. The five common ones are und (and), aber (but), oder (or), denn (because, for) and sondern (but rather). They sit in position zero, outside the clause, so the next clause keeps normal verb-second order: Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank. Sondern is used only after a negative to introduce a correction: Das ist nicht mein Buch, sondern dein Buch. Aber simply adds a contrast: Das Buch ist alt, aber interessant. A comma usually comes before aber, denn and sondern.

Subordinating conjunctions introduce a dependent clause and send the conjugated verb to the end of that clause. Common ones are dass (that), weil (because), wenn (if, whenever), ob (whether), obwohl (although), als (when, for a single past event), bevor (before), nachdem (after), während (while), damit (so that) and bis (until). Compare Ich bin müde with Ich weiß, dass ich müde bin. If the verb is a Perfekt or has a modal, the conjugated part comes last of all: ..., weil ich lange gearbeitet habe; ..., dass er nicht kommen kann. Separable verbs rejoin at the end: ..., wenn der Zug ankommt. Subordinate clauses are always set off with a comma.

Weil and denn both mean because, but they differ in word order: weil sends the verb to the end, while denn keeps verb-second order. Ich lerne, weil ich morgen eine Prüfung habe means the same as Ich lerne, denn ich habe morgen eine Prüfung. If a subordinate clause comes first, it fills position one of the whole sentence, so the main-clause verb must come immediately after the comma, followed by the subject: Weil ich krank war, bin ich zu Hause geblieben. This creates the typical pattern verb, comma, verb. Writing Weil ich krank war, ich bin zu Hause geblieben is a common error.

Three words translate as when. Als is used for a single event or period in the past: Als ich zehn war, habe ich in Hamburg gewohnt. Wenn is used for the present and future and for repeated events in the past (whenever): Wenn ich Zeit habe, lese ich; Immer wenn wir Oma besuchten, backte sie Kuchen. Wann is a question word, used in direct and indirect questions: Wann kommst du? Ich weiß nicht, wann er kommt. Indirect questions use the question word, or ob for yes/no questions, as a subordinating word with the verb at the end: Kannst du mir sagen, wo der Bahnhof ist? Ich frage mich, ob sie mitkommt.

Key ideas

• In main clauses the conjugated verb is the second element, and the subject follows it if something else comes first.
• Und, aber, oder, denn and sondern do not change word order.
• Subordinating conjunctions such as dass, weil, wenn, ob and obwohl send the conjugated verb to the end.
• When a subordinate clause comes first, the main-clause verb follows directly after the comma.
• Weil and denn both mean because, but only weil causes verb-final order.
• Als is for one past event, wenn for present/future or repeated events, and wann for questions.
• Indirect questions use ob or a question word and put the verb last.

Formulas and rules

Common mistakes

• Keeping verb-second order after weil, dass or wenn (weil ich bin krank).
• Sending the verb to the end after denn (denn ich krank bin).
• Forgetting inversion after a fronted element or clause (Morgen ich fahre; Wenn ich Zeit habe, ich komme).
• Using wenn for a single past event instead of als.
• Putting the helping verb before the participle in a subordinate clause (dass ich habe gegessen).

Before the test, make sure you can

• Apply the verb-second rule with inversion.
• Join clauses with und, aber, oder, denn and sondern without changing word order.
• Build verb-final subordinate clauses with dass, weil, wenn, ob, obwohl and others.
• Place helping verbs, modals and separable prefixes correctly at the end of subordinate clauses.
• Start a sentence with a subordinate clause and invert the main clause.
• Choose correctly among als, wenn and wann.
• Form indirect questions with ob and question words.
• Order time, manner and place expressions in the middle field.

Words to know

und

and

aber

but

oder

or

denn

because, for

sondern

but rather

dass

that

weil

because

wenn

if, whenever

ob

whether

obwohl

although

als

when (past)

bevor

before

nachdem

after

während

while

damit

so that

bis

until

Ich glaube, dass ...

I believe that ...

Ich finde, dass ...

I think that ...

der Grund

reason

deshalb

therefore

trotzdem

nevertheless

Sample practice questions

30 more questions like these, from level 1 to 5, are in the practice set.