All A1 German Conjunctions: und, oder, aber, weil
Und, oder, aber, denn, weil, dass: these six words connect German sentences, but do you know where the verb goes after each of them? In this lesson, Luzi from YourGermanTeacher teaches you all A1 German conjunctions. To use them correctly you first learn the two sentence types, Hauptsatz (main clause) and Nebensatz (subordinate clause), and then see how each conjunction changes the position of the verb.
In German school, conjunctions are also called Bindewörter (connecting words). They join sentences, and since German loves long sentences, they are important.
Hauptsatz and Nebensatz
| Hauptsatz (main clause) | Nebensatz (subordinate clause) | |
|---|---|---|
| Position 1 | usually the subject | the conjunction |
| Position 2 | the conjugated verb | the subject |
| Middle and end | additional information, objects (flexible) | additional information, then the conjugated verb at the end |
| Example | Du lernst heute Deutsch. | ... dass du heute Deutsch lernst. |
A Nebensatz cannot stand alone. It needs a main clause: Ich weiß, dass du heute Deutsch lernst.
Conjunctions on Position 0: und, oder, aber, denn
These four are Hauptsatz conjunctions. They stand on position 0, outside the sentence, so the word order of the clause after them does not change (subject, then verb).
und (and)
Max liest gern Bücher und Lisa geht oft wandern. If the subject is the same in both clauses, you can drop the second one: Am Morgen trinke ich einen Kaffee und esse ein Stück Brot. If the verb is the same too, you can drop it as well: Meine Katze isst gern Fleisch und auch gern Fisch. For a list (Aufzählung), use commas and put und before the last item: Ich trinke gern Kaffee, Tee und Cola.
oder (or)
It gives an alternative: Am Morgen trinke ich einen Kaffee oder mache einen Tee. / Am Montag spielt Max Tennis oder trifft seine Freunde. The same subject can be dropped.
aber (but)
Morgens trinke ich einen Kaffee, aber esse kein Frühstück. / Am Morgen trinke ich Kaffee, aber keinen Tee. / Elsa möchte ins Kino gehen, aber ihr Mann hat keine Zeit.
denn (because)
It gives a reason: Ich esse ein Sandwich, denn ich habe Hunger. Special rule: after denn you never drop the subject, even if it is the same: Maria lernt Deutsch, denn sie lebt in Berlin.
Conjunctions on Position 1: weil and dass
These are Nebensatz conjunctions. They stand on position 1, the subject follows, and the conjugated verb goes to the end.
weil (because)
Ich esse ein Sandwich, weil ich Hunger habe. You can also start with the weil clause. The whole Nebensatz then counts as position 1, so the main clause starts with the conjugated verb (position 2) after a comma: Weil ich Hunger habe, esse ich ein Sandwich.
With a modal verb you get two verbs at the end. The conjugated modal verb stays last, and the infinitive stands right before it: Tom hat Angst, weil er bald zum Arzt gehen muss.
dass (that)
- Ich hoffe, dass die Sonne morgen scheint.
- Rudolf hat gesehen, dass Mia auch online ist.
- Monika glaubt, dass sie nicht gut malen kann.
Summary
| Conjunction | Type | Position | Verb |
|---|---|---|---|
| und, oder, aber, denn | Hauptsatz | 0 | second position |
| weil, dass | Nebensatz | 1 | at the end |
Bonus Tip 1: Comma Rules
- und, oder: no comma.
- aber, denn, weil, dass: always a comma before them.
Bonus Tip 2: Alternatives to weil
Use weil as much as you can when someone asks Warum?. Alternatives are deshalb, darum, deswegen and aus diesem Grund (because of this reason). These are all Hauptsatz connectors and belong to level A2 or higher.
Homework
Write a comment with an example sentence for one of the conjunctions you just learned.
What to Learn Next
Go deeper with German weil Explained: Word Order, denn and da and German dass Explained: Word Order and Examples. Review the sentence types in Satzbau I: German Main Clause Word Order and Satzbau II: German Subordinate Clauses, then move on to All A2 German Conjunctions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the A1 German conjunctions?
Und, oder, aber, denn, weil and dass. The first four are main clause conjunctions on position 0. Weil and dass start a subordinate clause on position 1.
Where does the verb go after weil and dass?
To the end of the clause: Ich esse ein Sandwich, weil ich Hunger habe. Ich hoffe, dass die Sonne morgen scheint.
Which conjunctions need a comma in German?
Aber, denn, weil and dass always need a comma before them. Und and oder need no comma.
Can I drop the subject after und, oder and aber?
Yes, if the subject is the same: Am Morgen trinke ich einen Kaffee und esse ein Stück Brot. After denn you must keep the subject: Maria lernt Deutsch, denn sie lebt in Berlin.
What can I use instead of weil?
You can use deshalb, darum, deswegen or aus diesem Grund. They are main clause connectors from level A2 and higher.
Want to build correct German sentences from the very beginning? Our A1 course for beginners explains word order step by step with practice.
