What is the difference between coordinating and subordinating conjunctions in German?

Coordinating conjunctions (und, aber, oder, denn, sondern) connect two main clauses and keep verb-second word order on both sides — the verb stays in position 2 in each clause. Subordinating conjunctions (weil, wenn, dass, ob, obwohl, als, damit, bevor, nachdem, …) introduce a subordinate clause where the conjugated verb moves to the very end of that clause. The distinction matters because choosing the wrong class produces an ungrammatical sentence even if the meaning is roughly correct.

What is the difference between weil and denn?

Both mean "because", but they belong to different classes. weil is subordinating — the verb goes to the end: "Ich komme nicht, weil ich müde bin." denn is coordinating — the verb stays in position 2: "Ich komme nicht, denn ich bin müde." Spoken German strongly prefers weil; denn sounds more formal or written. In casual speech you may hear "weil" with verb-second position — this is non-standard and should not be used in writing or exams.

When do I use wenn instead of als?

als is used for a single, completed event in the past: "Als ich klein war, lebten wir in München." wenn is used for repeated events in the past, present conditions, and future events: "Wenn ich Zeit habe, rufe ich an." wann is the question word "when": "Wann kommst du?" Mixing als and wenn is one of the top three errors German learners make at B1 level.

What is the difference between aber and sondern?

Both translate to "but", but they are not interchangeable. sondern means "but rather" and is only used after a negative clause (with nicht or kein) to introduce a correction: "Ich gehe nicht ins Kino, sondern ins Theater." aber is a general contrast conjunction that works after any clause: "Es ist kalt, aber sonnig." If the first clause contains nicht or kein and you are replacing the negated element, use sondern. Otherwise, use aber.

What is the ADUSO mnemonic for coordinating conjunctions?

ADUSO stands for the five German coordinating conjunctions: Aber (but), Denn (because), Und (and), Sondern (but rather), Oder (or). All five keep verb-second word order on both sides of the conjunction — neither clause changes its verb position. Learning ADUSO as a set is useful because German has exactly these five basic coordinating conjunctions.

What are two-part conjunctions in German?

German has several correlative (two-part) conjunctions: entweder … oder (either … or), weder … noch (neither … nor), sowohl … als auch (both … and), nicht nur … sondern auch (not only … but also), and je … desto/umso (the more … the more). Most are coordinating. The je … desto pattern is unique: je introduces a subordinate clause with verb-final order, and desto/umso introduces a main clause with inverted word order.

Are deshalb and deswegen conjunctions?

No — deshalb and deswegen are conjunctional adverbs (Konjunktionaladverbien), not true conjunctions. They mean "therefore" or "that is why" but behave as adverbs occupying position 1 of a main clause. This pushes the subject to position 3: "Er war müde, deshalb ging er früh ins Bett." Other common conjunctional adverbs include trotzdem (nevertheless), dennoch (nonetheless), dann (then), and sonst (otherwise). Each triggers verb-second inversion in the clause it opens.

What happens to word order when a subordinate clause comes first in a German sentence?

When a weil-, wenn-, or dass-clause occupies the first position of the sentence, the main clause must invert: the main-clause verb immediately follows the comma. "Weil ich müde bin, komme ich nicht." The comma sits between two verbs (bin, komme) — the distinctive verb-comma-verb pattern. Writing "Weil ich müde bin, ich komme nicht" is incorrect; the subject ich cannot appear before the verb in a post-subordinate main clause.

Three buckets, three word-order patterns.

The conjunction you pick decides where the verb goes. Some leave it in second place, some send it to the end.

Coordinating vs. subordinating: the core distinction

Coordinating vs. subordinating conjunctions

Both classes connect clauses, but only one moves the verb.

Coordinating und, aber, oder, denn, sondern

Verb stays in position 2 on both sides

Example

Ich komme nicht, denn ich bin müde.

I'm not coming because I'm tired. (bin stays in pos. 2)

Subordinating weil, wenn, dass, ob, obwohl, …

Verb moves to the end of the subordinate clause

Example

Ich komme nicht, weil ich müde bin.

I'm not coming because I'm tired. (bin pushed to end)

Same meaning, different structure. Spoken German prefers weil; denn sounds more formal. Casual speech sometimes uses weil with verb-second order. That is non-standard and must not appear in writing or exams.

The 5 coordinating conjunctions (ADUSO)

German has five basic coordinating conjunctions. The mnemonic ADUSO lists them: Aber, Denn, Und, Sondern, Oder.

ADUSO — the 5 coordinating conjunctions

All five keep verb-second order on both sides. No verb moves.

Conjunction	Meaning	Example	Note
und	and	Ich lerne Deutsch und er lernt Spanisch.	Verb stays in position 2 on both sides. No structural surprises.
aber	but (contrast)	Es ist kalt, aber sonnig.	General opposition; works after any clause — positive or negative.
oder	or	Kommen Sie oder bleiben Sie zu Hause?	Also used in embedded disjunctive questions.
denn	because (formal)	Ich gehe nicht, denn ich bin müde.	Coordinating — verb stays in position 2. Compare weil, which sends the verb to the end.
sondern	but rather	Ich gehe nicht ins Kino, sondern ins Theater.	Only after a negative clause (nicht / kein). Replaces the negated element.

wenn vs. als — both translate to "when"

wenn vs. als — two 'when' words that cannot be swapped

als = one completed past event. wenn = repeated past, present, or future.

als single completed past event only

One-time event in the past — never repeated, never future

Example

Als ich klein war, wohnten wir in Berlin.

When I was young, we lived in Berlin.

wenn repeated past · present · future · conditional

Repeated events, conditions, or anything not single-past

Example

Wenn ich Zeit habe, rufe ich an.

When / if I have time, I'll call.

wann (with double n) is the question word 'when' — for direct and indirect questions only: 'Wann kommst du?' and 'Ich weiß nicht, wann er kommt.'

More on wann and the other question words: questions in German.

aber vs. sondern — both mean "but"

aber vs. sondern — both mean 'but', but sondern requires a negative

sondern corrects a negated element. aber contrasts anything.

aber general contrast

Works after any clause — positive or negative

Example

Es ist kalt, aber sonnig.

It's cold but sunny.

sondern replacement after negation

Only after nicht / kein — replaces the negated element

Example

Ich gehe nicht ins Kino, sondern ins Theater.

I'm not going to the cinema, but (rather) to the theatre.

Decision test: does the first clause contain nicht or kein, and are you replacing the negated item? → sondern. Otherwise → aber.

sondern — replacing negated item

Er trinkt keinen Kaffee, sondern Tee.

He drinks no coffee — replaced by: tea.

aber — general contrast

Ich habe einen Hund, aber er ist alt.

I have a dog — but it's old. No replacement.

common mistake

Ich gehe nicht ins Kino, aber ins Theater.

Replacing the negated destination → use sondern, not aber.

dass vs. das — same sound, different spelling

Spelling trap

dass (double s) ≠ das (single s)

dass

Subordinating conjunction — "that". Always introduces a subordinate clause with verb-final order.

Example

Ich glaube, dass er kommt.

I believe that he is coming.

Es ist gut, dass du da bist.

It's good that you're here.

das

Article / relative pronoun / demonstrative. Three different uses — all spelled with a single s.

Example

Das Buch ist interessant.

The book is interesting. (neuter article)

Das Buch, das ich lese, ist gut.

The book that I'm reading is good. (relative pronoun)

Memory rule

If you can replace it with "the", "which", or "that one" — single s (das). If you can replace it with "the fact that" or English "that" introducing a clause — double s (dass).

Subordinating conjunctions by meaning

A comma always comes before the subordinate clause. The groups below are the A2–B1 core.

Subordinating conjunctions — grouped by meaning

Cause

weil because …weil ich müde bin.

da since (causal) …da er krank ist.

Concession

obwohl although …obwohl es regnet.

obgleich even though …obgleich es schwierig ist.

obschon even though (formal) …obschon er Recht hat.

Time

als when (single past) …als ich klein war.

wenn when / if …wenn ich Zeit habe.

bevor before …bevor wir anfangen.

nachdem after …nachdem er gegessen hat.

seit / seitdem since (temporal) …seit er hier arbeitet.

während while …während ich koche.

bis until …bis er ankommt.

sobald as soon as …sobald sie fertig ist.

Condition

wenn if / when …wenn du kommst.

falls in case …falls es regnet.

Purpose

damit so that …damit du es verstehst.

sodass so that (result) …sodass er gewinnt.

Content

dass that …dass er kommt.

ob whether …ob sie kommt.

If the subordinate clause comes first, the main verb follows right after the comma: Weil ich Zeit habe, komme ich. That gives a verb-comma-verb pattern. Browse all German connectors →

Conjunctional adverbs — they look like conjunctions but aren't

Words like deshalb (therefore), trotzdem (nevertheless), dann (then), and sonst (otherwise) feel like English conjunctions but are adverbs in German. They occupy position 1 of a main clause, which forces the subject to position 3 — producing visible inversion.

deshalb

Er war müde, deshalb ging er früh ins Bett.

He was tired, therefore he went to bed early. (deshalb in pos. 1 → verb ging in pos. 2 → subject er in pos. 3)

trotzdem

Es regnete, trotzdem gingen wir spazieren.

It was raining; nevertheless we went for a walk.

dann

Wir essen zu Abend, dann schauen wir einen Film.

We eat dinner, then we watch a film.

sonst

Beeil dich, sonst verpassen wir den Zug.

Hurry up, otherwise we'll miss the train.

They are not part of ADUSO. Other common ones: dennoch (nonetheless), außerdem (moreover), deshalb/deswegen/daher (therefore).

Two-part conjunctions

These conjunctions come in pairs; both parts are required.

Two-part conjunctions

entweder … oder either … or Entweder lernst du jetzt, oder du hast morgen ein Problem. Coordinating; both clauses keep verb-second order.

weder … noch neither … nor Ich habe weder Zeit noch Geld. Negative; both parts required.

sowohl … als auch both … and Er spricht sowohl Deutsch als auch Englisch. Adds, does not contrast.

nicht nur … sondern auch not only … but also Sie ist nicht nur klug, sondern auch fleißig. Emphatic addition.

je … desto / umso the more … the more Je mehr du lernst, desto besser wirst du. je clause = verb-final; desto/umso clause = inverted (verb before subject).

zwar … aber admittedly … but Er ist zwar müde, aber er arbeitet weiter. Concessive pair; both coordinating.

einerseits … andererseits on one hand … on the other Einerseits ist es teuer, andererseits ist es bequem. Balancing contrast.

5 common conjunction mistakes

Using denn with verb-final order

*Ich komme nicht, denn ich müde bin. becomes Ich komme nicht, denn ich bin müde.

denn is coordinating — verb stays in position 2 (bin, not pushed to the end).

Using sondern without a negative

*Es ist kalt, sondern windig. becomes Es ist kalt, aber windig.

sondern requires nicht or kein in the first clause. Use aber for general contrast.

Writing dass with one s

*Ich glaube, das er kommt. becomes Ich glaube, dass er kommt.

dass (conjunction) always has double s. das with one s is the article or pronoun.

Using wenn for a single past event

*Wenn ich jung war, wohnten wir in Berlin. becomes Als ich jung war, wohnten wir in Berlin.

als = one completed past event. wenn = repeated past, present, or future.

Colloquial weil + verb-second in writing

*Ich komme nicht, weil ich bin müde. becomes Ich komme nicht, weil ich müde bin.

Heard in casual speech but ungrammatical in standard writing and exams.

Three buckets, three word-order patterns.

Coordinating vs. subordinating: the core distinction

Coordinating vs. subordinating conjunctions

The 5 coordinating conjunctions (ADUSO)

ADUSO — the 5 coordinating conjunctions

wenn vs. als — both translate to "when"

wenn vs. als — two 'when' words that cannot be swapped

aber vs. sondern — both mean "but"

aber vs. sondern — both mean 'but', but sondern requires a negative

dass vs. das — same sound, different spelling

dass (double s) ≠ das (single s)

Subordinating conjunctions by meaning

Subordinating conjunctions — grouped by meaning

Conjunctional adverbs — they look like conjunctions but aren't

Two-part conjunctions

Two-part conjunctions

5 common conjunction mistakes

Frequently asked questions

Put conjunctions into practice

Three buckets, three word-order patterns.

Coordinating vs. subordinating: the core distinction

Coordinating vs. subordinating conjunctions

The 5 coordinating conjunctions (ADUSO)

ADUSO — the 5 coordinating conjunctions

wenn vs. als — both translate to "when"

wenn vs. als — two 'when' words that cannot be swapped

aber vs. sondern — both mean "but"

aber vs. sondern — both mean 'but', but sondern requires a negative

dass vs. das — same sound, different spelling

dass (double s) ≠ das (single s)

Subordinating conjunctions by meaning

Subordinating conjunctions — grouped by meaning

Conjunctional adverbs — they look like conjunctions but aren't

Two-part conjunctions

Two-part conjunctions

5 common conjunction mistakes

Related topics

Subordinate clauses

Word order

Relative clauses

Frequently asked questions

Put conjunctions into practice