german_sentence_builder

Subordinating
conjunctions
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There are many subordinating conjunctions, and they all share two characteristics:
(1) they introduce dependent clauses that do not make complete sense when
they stand alone; and (2) the conjugated verb in such clauses is normally the last
element in the clause:
main clause 1 subordinating conjunction 1 dependent clause 1 verb
Ich besuchte Karl, 1 als 1 ich in der Hauptstadt 1 war.
I visited Karl when I was in the capital.
Using subordinating conjunctions
Some of the most commonly used subordinating conjunctions are:
als when ob whether, if
als ob (als wenn) as if obwohl although
bevor before seit(dem) since
bis until, by the time sobald as soon as
da since sooft as often as
damit so that soviel as far as
dass that während while
ehe before weil because
falls in case wenn when(ever), if
nachdem after wie as
Let’s look at a few example sentences. Take note of where the conjugated verb
stands in the dependent clause:
Ich weiß, dass du lügst.
Er konnte nicht einkaufen gehen,
weil er pleite ist.
Als sie in Paris war, kaufte sie sich
ein paar neue Kleider.
I know that you’re lying.
He couldn’t go shopping, because he’s
broke.
When she was in Paris, she bought a
couple new dresses.
Notice that in the first two example sentences above, the dependent clause is the
second clause. In the third example, the dependent clause is the first clause. These
clauses function in the same way no matter what their position in the sentence.
Whatever tense the verb is in, the conjugated verb or auxiliary will be the last
element of a clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction:
..., dass er krank ist. . . . that he’s sick.
..., dass wir nichts gehört haben. . . . that we didn’t hear anything.
..., dass ich gut singen kann. . . . that I can sing well.
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