Intermediate German: A Grammar and Workbook

Subordinate conjunctions do affect the word order and normally send

the finite verb to the end of the clause:

Ich bleibe zu Hause, weilich müde bin.

Here are the different kinds of conjunctions in more detail.

Coordinating conjunctions

The most important coordinating conjunctions are:

aber but

denn because

oder or

sondern but (following a negative statement)

und and

Meaning and most common usage

• aberis equivalent to the English ‘but’ and contrasts information from
  the first clause with the second clause:
  Wir wollten in München leben, aber das war uns zu teuer.
  We wanted to live in Munich but it was too expensive for us.


• dennintroduces the second clause, which gives a reason for the action
  or event of the first clause and usually corresponds to the English
  ‘because’:
  Dieses Buch kann man nicht mehr kaufen, denn es ist vergriffen.
  You cannot buy this book any more because it is out of print.


• oderexpresses an alternative or contrast, like the conjunction ‘or’ in
  English:
  Gehen wir ins Kino oder bleiben wir zu Hause?
  Are we going to the cinema or are we staying at home?


• sondernexpresses the notion of ‘but... (instead)’ and is used after a
  negative statement in the first clause:
  Stuttgart liegt nicht in Bayern, sondern in Baden-Württemberg.
  Stuttgart is not in Bavaria, but in Baden-Württemberg.


• undis the most frequently used conjunction in German und normally
  links words or two main clauses:

134 Unit 18: Conjunctions and clauses

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