Conjunctions – Word Order in German
Word order in German. Coordinating conjunctions connect two main clauses. Subordinating conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs connect main/independent clauses with dependent/subordinate clauses. Using subordinating conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs changes the word order in the clause.
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Example
Coordinating Conjunctions
In a clause that is introduced by a conjunction, the sentence structure is exactly the same as in a normal main clause (conjunction + subject + finite verb + …).
Some example conjunctions are: aber, denn, oder, und.
- Example: Kerstin ist glücklich, denn sie hat Urlaub.
Subjunctions
In a clause that is introduced by a subjunction, the finite verb is placed at the end of the sentence (subjunction + subject + … + finite verb).
Some example subjunctions (secondary conjunctions) are: bevor, da, dass, falls, weil, wenn.
- Example: Sie macht Urlaub an der Nordsee, weil sie das Meer liebt.
Conjunctive Adverbs
In a clause that is introduced by a conjunctive adverb, the finite verb comes before the subject (conjunctive adverb + finite verb + subject + …).
Typical conjunctive adverbs include: dann, schließlich, trotzdem, zuvor.
- Example: Sie will den Sonnenuntergang sehen, deshalb ist sie jetzt am Strand.
Overview
The table below provides an overview of the most common German conjunctions, subjunctions and conjunctive adverbs together with the correct word order.
| Conjunctions | Subjunctions | Conjunctive Adverbs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Word Order | conjunction + subject + conjugated verb + … | subjunction + subject + … + conjugated verb | conjunctive adverb + conjugated verb + subject + … |
| Example | Kerstin ist glücklich, denn sie hat Urlaub. | Sie macht Urlaub an der Nordsee, weil sie das Meer liebt. | Sie will den Sonnenuntergang sehen, deshalb ist sie jetzt am Strand. |
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