10.2 Coordination

A subordinate clause cannot form a sentence in its own right. It substitutes for a single word or phrase – a noun, adjective or adverbial – in the clause it depends on. In a subordinate clause all parts of the verb are at the end:

The subordinate clause plays Ich habe gehofft, dassSie kommen würden. the part of a noun phrase I hoped that you would come.

[Ich habe es gehofft.]

The subordinate clause plays Am liebsten mag ich Autos, die schnell fahren. the part of an adjective Best of all I like cars that go fast.

[Am liebsten mag ich schnelle Autos.]

The subordinate clause plays Ich kann nicht kommen, weil ich krank bin. the part of an adverbial I can’t come because I’m ill.

[Ich kann deshalb nicht kommen.]

The following are the most important coordinating CONJUNCTIONS in German. Most of them can link single words or phrases as well as clauses:

aber but Sie rief laut, aber der Junge kam nicht. She called loudly, but the boy didn’t come. denn for,since Wir blieben zu Hause, denn das Wetter war schlecht. We stayed at home since the weather was bad. oder or Morgen können wir hier bleiben, oder wir können ins Kino gehen. Tomorrow we can stay here or we can go to the cinema. sondern but Wir sind nicht ins Kino gegangen, sondern wir sind hier geblieben. We didn’t go to the cinema but stayed here. und and Elke liest die Zeitung und Johanna arbeitet im Garten. Elke is reading the newspaper and Johanna is working in the garden.

NB The clauses are separated by a comma. This is optional before und (see 12.6).

denn gives a reason and is often translated as English ‘because’. Unlike ‘because’, though, it is a coordinating conjunction introducing a main clause, and a clause with denn cannot begin a sentence.

sondern and aber both translate English ‘but’ and need to be carefully distinguished.

Sondern must be used if you are contradicting a preceding negative statement.