Konjunktionen - Conjunctions

Another German term for a Konjunktion is Bindewort, literally a word that binds together. This is perhaps a better term, because conjunctions bind together two independent sentences into one single complex utterance. Remember, every sentence has a subject and a verb at minimum, and most sentences have other syntactical elements that add meaning and color to the sentence.

Review the pages on typical word order in German sentences, if you need to.

Here is an extensive list of conjunctions in German. Notice there are two types: coordinating and subordinating:

Notice example four above. Sondern means the same thing as aber, but it is used after sentences that express a negative. The translation, on the contrary conveys this meaning fairly well.

In the examples above the sentences introduced by the conjunction have normal word order, i.e., the conjugated (or finite) verb is in the second position.

Now examine the syntax of the subordinating conjunctions. The conjugated verb in the sentence introduced by the conjunction is in the final position, at the end of the sentence. Some of these have important meanings; click these conjunctions for further study.

als - when wenn - whenever bis - until da - because daß - that damit - so that ehe - before bevor - before nachdem - after ob - whether obgleich, obwohl - although seitdem - since sobald - as soon as solange - as long as während - during weil - because

Examples: Translate the sentences into good English; click to check your work. Ich kaufte die neue Gitarre, als ich in Berlin war. Mein Onkel bringt immer einen Kuchen, wenn er uns zu Weihnachten besucht. Ich arbeite fleißig diesen Sommer, damit ich ein neues Auto kaufen kann. Mutti spült das Geschirr, bevor sie ins Kino geht. Nachdem er die Stereoanlage gebracht hatte, begannen die Gäste zu tanzen. Der Mann wußte nicht, ob seine Frau heute zurückgekommen war. Ich komme rüber, sobald ich meine Hausaufgaben fertig mache. Obwohl er sehr schlecht schwimmt, geht er an den Ozean mit. Er sagte, daß er heute abend nicht kommen konnte. Solange er zu der Party kommt, gehe ich nicht dahin.