A2 · Subordinate clauses
Weil ich krank bin, bleibe ich zu Hause.
Subordinate clause first, then verb, comma, verb
FormNebensatz (Verb am Ende), + konjugiertes Verb + Subjekt …
Meaning and usage
A subordinate clause with weil or wenn can stand at the start of the sentence. It fills position 1. The main clause then begins with its conjugated verb, directly after the comma. The subject comes after that verb. So the order is: subordinate clause, comma, verb, subject, rest.
Learners often keep the normal subject first order and say Weil ich krank bin, ich bleibe zu Hause. That is not German. After the comma the verb must come first. A main clause after wenn may also start with dann before the verb: Wenn du Zeit hast, dann ruf mich an.
Examples 5
Weil ich krank bin, bleibe ich zu Hause.
Because I'm ill, I'm staying home.
Weil er krank ist, kann er nicht kommen.
Because he's sick, he can't come.
Wenn du Zeit hast, ruf mich an.
If you have time, call me.
Wenn das Wetter gut ist, gehe ich hin.
If the weather is good, I'll go.
Wenn ich bei dir bin, bin ich glücklich.
When I'm with you, I'm happy.
Test yourself
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1 Sprachbausteine
Weil es heute regnet, wir zu Hause.
Show answer
Correct answer: bleiben
The subject is wir, so the verb needs the ending -en: bleiben. The subordinate clause Weil es heute regnet fills position 1, so the verb comes right after the comma.
- bleibt is the form for er, sie or es, or for ihr, not for wir.
- bleibe is the form for ich, but the subject here is wir.
- bleibst is the form for du, but the subject here is wir.
In this topic: Subordinate clauses
- weil … Verb because, with the verb at the end
- weil … Verb / denn + Hauptsatz denn keeps normal order, weil sends the verb to the end
- dass … Verb say, think or know something with dass, verb at the end
- wenn … Verb if or whenever, with the verb at the end
- obwohl … Verb although: a contrast clause with the verb at the end
- nicht …, sondern not X, but rather Y
- …, dass er kommen kann. two verb parts in a subordinate clause: finite verb last
- …, weil ich früh aufstehe. separable verb joins as one word at the end
- Weil ich krank bin, bleibe ich zu Hause. Subordinate clause first, then verb, comma, verb
Example sentences from Tatoeba, used under CC BY 2.0 FR. See sources.