Conjunctions play a crucial role in connecting words, phrases, and clauses in German. They influence the word order in a sentence, and understanding how to use them correctly is essential for creating complex sentences. In this lesson, you will learn about different types of German conjunctions, their effects on word order, and how to use them effectively.
What You Will Learn
- The types of German conjunctions: coordinating, subordinating, and correlative.
- How conjunctions affect word order in main and subordinate clauses.
- Examples of conjunctions in sentences.
- Practice exercises to reinforce your understanding.
Types of German Conjunctions
1. Coordinating Conjunctions (Koordinierende Konjunktionen)
Coordinating conjunctions connect two main clauses or words without changing the word order. The verb remains in the second position in each clause.
Common Coordinating Conjunctions
| Conjunction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| und | and | Ich lerne Deutsch, und er lernt Englisch. (I am learning German, and he is learning English.) |
| oder | or | Möchtest du Tee oder Kaffee? (Do you want tea or coffee?) |
| aber | but | Ich möchte gehen, aber ich habe keine Zeit. (I want to go, but I don’t have time.) |
| denn | because | Er bleibt zu Hause, denn es regnet. (He is staying home because it is raining.) |
| sondern | but rather | Ich trinke keinen Kaffee, sondern Tee. (I don’t drink coffee but rather tea.) |
2. Subordinating Conjunctions (Subordinierende Konjunktionen)
Subordinating conjunctions introduce subordinate clauses and push the conjugated verb to the end of the subordinate clause.
Common Subordinating Conjunctions
| Conjunction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| weil | because | Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet. (I am staying home because it is raining.) |
| dass | that | Ich weiß, dass er kommt. (I know that he is coming.) |
| wenn | if, when | Wenn es kalt ist, trage ich eine Jacke. (If it is cold, I wear a jacket.) |
| obwohl | although | Er geht spazieren, obwohl es regnet. (He goes for a walk, although it is raining.) |
| bevor | before | Ich wasche mir die Hände, bevor ich esse. (I wash my hands before I eat.) |
| nachdem | after | Nachdem ich aufgestanden bin, trinke ich Kaffee. (After I get up, I drink coffee.) |
| während | while | Ich höre Musik, während ich lerne. (I listen to music while I study.) |
| ob | whether, if | Ich weiß nicht, ob er zu Hause ist. (I don’t know whether he is home.) |
3. Correlative Conjunctions (Zweiteilige Konjunktionen)
Correlative conjunctions are used in pairs and link two equal elements in a sentence. The word order depends on the clauses they connect.
Common Correlative Conjunctions
| Conjunction Pair | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| entweder … oder | either … or | Entweder gehst du oder ich gehe. (Either you go, or I go.) |
| nicht nur … sondern auch | not only … but also | Er spricht nicht nur Deutsch, sondern auch Englisch. (He speaks not only German but also English.) |
| weder … noch | neither … nor | Ich mag weder Tee noch Kaffee. (I like neither tea nor coffee.) |
| sowohl … als auch | both … and | Wir besuchen sowohl Berlin als auch München. (We are visiting both Berlin and Munich.) |
How Conjunctions Affect Word Order
1. Coordinating Conjunctions
The word order remains the same as in independent main clauses (SVO).
Example:
- Ich lerne Deutsch, und er lernt Englisch. (I am learning German, and he is learning English.)
2. Subordinating Conjunctions
The verb moves to the end of the subordinate clause.
Examples:
- Ich weiß, dass er heute kommt. (I know that he is coming today.)
- Wir bleiben zu Hause, weil es regnet. (We are staying home because it is raining.)
If the subordinate clause comes first, the main clause begins with the verb.
Example:
- Weil es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause. (Because it is raining, we are staying home.)
3. Correlative Conjunctions
The word order depends on the clauses they connect. Each part of the correlative conjunction introduces its own clause or element.
Example:
- Entweder du kommst, oder ich gehe. (Either you come, or I go.)
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Identify the Conjunction Type
Classify the following conjunctions as coordinating, subordinating, or correlative:
- weil
- und
- entweder … oder
- obwohl
- sondern
Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate conjunction:
- Ich bleibe zu Hause, ________ ich bin krank.
- Wir fahren nach München, ________ nach Berlin.
- ________ es regnet, gehen wir spazieren.
- Er kann gut kochen, ________ er backt nicht gern.
Exercise 3: Translate the Sentences
Translate these sentences into German:
- I don’t know if she is coming.
- We are staying at home because it is snowing.
- Either you clean the kitchen, or I will.
- He likes not only pizza but also pasta.
Exercise 4: Rearrange the Words
Put the words in the correct order:
- bleibe / ich / zu Hause / weil / regnet / es.
- gehe / entweder / oder / ich / du / kommst.
- sie / nicht nur / Deutsch / spricht / sondern / auch / Englisch.
- weiß / ob / ich / er / kommt / nicht.
Summary
In this lesson, you learned:
- The three types of German conjunctions: coordinating, subordinating, and correlative.
- How conjunctions affect word order in main and subordinate clauses.
- Examples of conjunctions used in different contexts.
Homework
- Write 5 sentences using subordinating conjunctions.
- Create 3 sentences using correlative conjunctions.
- Translate a short paragraph from English to German, using a mix of conjunctions.