Word Order in Subordinate Clauses

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Understanding word order in subordinate clauses is essential for constructing complex sentences in German. Subordinate clauses are dependent on the main clause and introduce additional information. In this lesson, you will learn how to structure subordinate clauses, where to place the verb, and how to connect them to main clauses.

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What You Will Learn

1. What subordinate clauses are and how they function.
2. The rules for word order in subordinate clauses.
3. Common subordinating conjunctions.
4. How to combine main and subordinate clauses.
5. Practice exercises to build your skills.

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What is a Subordinate Clause?

A subordinate clause (also called a dependent clause) cannot stand alone as a sentence. It provides additional information and is connected to a main clause by a subordinating conjunction.

Example:

• Main clause: Ich gehe ins Kino. (I am going to the cinema.)
• Subordinate clause: weil ich Zeit habe. (because I have time.)
• Combined: Ich gehe ins Kino, weil ich Zeit habe. (I am going to the cinema because I have time.)

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Word Order Rules in Subordinate Clauses

1. The Verb Goes to the End

In subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb always appears at the very end of the clause.

Examples:

1. Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet. (I am staying at home because it is raining.)
2. Er sagt, dass er müde ist. (He says that he is tired.)

2. Subject-Verb Inversion in Main Clauses After Subordinate Clauses

If the subordinate clause comes first, the main clause begins with the verb.

Examples:

1. Weil es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause. (Because it is raining, I am staying at home.)
2. Dass er müde ist, sagt er. (That he is tired, he says.)

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Common Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions connect the subordinate clause to the main clause. Here are some of the most common ones:

Conjunction	Meaning	Example
weil	because	Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet.
dass	that	Er sagt, dass er müde ist.
wenn	if, when (conditional)	Wenn es kalt ist, ziehe ich eine Jacke an.
obwohl	although	Ich gehe spazieren, obwohl es regnet.
während	while	Während ich esse, lese ich ein Buch.
bevor	before	Ich wasche meine Hände, bevor ich esse.
nachdem	after	Nachdem ich aufgestanden bin, trinke ich Kaffee.
damit	so that	Ich lerne, damit ich die Prüfung bestehe.
ob	whether, if	Ich weiß nicht, ob er kommt.

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Combining Main and Subordinate Clauses

Subordinate clauses can appear before, after, or within the main clause.

Subordinate Clause After the Main Clause:

1. Ich lese ein Buch, weil ich Zeit habe. (I am reading a book because I have time.)
2. Wir gehen spazieren, obwohl es kalt ist. (We are going for a walk although it is cold.)

Subordinate Clause Before the Main Clause:

1. Weil ich Zeit habe, lese ich ein Buch. (Because I have time, I am reading a book.)
2. Obwohl es kalt ist, gehen wir spazieren. (Although it is cold, we are going for a walk.)

Subordinate Clause Within the Main Clause:

1. Ich denke, dass er kommt. (I think that he is coming.)
2. Er sagt, dass er keine Zeit hat. (He says that he has no time.)

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Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Identify the Subordinate Clause

Underline the subordinate clause in the following sentences:

1. Ich gehe spazieren, obwohl es regnet.
2. Er sagt, dass er Hunger hat.
3. Nachdem sie angekommen ist, hat sie uns angerufen.
4. Ich weiß nicht, ob er zu Hause ist.

Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences

Fill in the blanks with a suitable subordinate clause:

1. Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil __________.
2. Wir gehen spazieren, obwohl __________.
3. Bevor ich ins Bett gehe, __________.
4. Sie fragt, ob __________.

Exercise 3: Rearrange the Words

Put the words in the correct order:

1. ins Kino / weil / ich / gehe / Zeit / ich / habe.
2. er / dass / sagt / müde / ist / er.
3. gehen / spazieren / wir / obwohl / regnet / es.
4. weiß / ob / ich / sie / kommt / nicht.

Exercise 4: Translate the Sentences

Translate these sentences into German:

1. I am reading a book because I have time.
2. Although it is raining, we are going for a walk.
3. She says that she is tired.
4. Before I eat, I wash my hands.

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Summary

In this lesson, you learned:

• What subordinate clauses are and how they function.
• The rule that the verb goes to the end in subordinate clauses.
• Common subordinating conjunctions and their usage.
• How to combine main and subordinate clauses.

Homework

1. Write 5 sentences with subordinate clauses using different conjunctions.
2. Practice rearranging sentences to place subordinate clauses at the beginning, middle, and end.
3. Record yourself reading sentences aloud to practice fluency.

Next Lesson: Modal Verbs in German.