FormHauptsatz, + dass + Subjekt … Verb (Ende)
Meaning and usage
dass means that and introduces a clause that tells what someone says, thinks, knows, hopes, wants or finds. It usually follows verbs like glauben, wissen, sagen, hoffen, denken, finden and möchte. Inside the dass-clause the conjugated verb moves to the very end: Ich weiß, dass er kommen kann. A comma always separates the dass-clause from the rest of the sentence, and when the dass-clause comes first, the comma comes after it: Dass er kommt, glaube ich.
The most common mistake is word order: learners put the verb in second position inside the clause and say Ich weiß, dass er kann kommen. In German the conjugated verb must be the last word of the dass-clause: dass er kommen kann.
Examples 6
Er sagt, dass er nicht kommen kann.
He says he can't come.
Ich glaube, dass wir nicht genug Zeit haben.
I don't think we have enough time.
Ich weiß, dass er gestern gekommen ist.
I know that he came yesterday.
Ich weiß, dass Sie mich noch immer lieben.
I know that you still love me.
Ich möchte, dass du mir ein Versprechen gibst.
I want you to make me a promise.
Ich wusste nicht, dass Sie in Gesellschaft sind.
I didn't know you had company.
Test yourself
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1 Sprachbausteine
Ich hoffe, du morgen Zeit hast.
Show answer
Correct answer: dass
After hoffen you report what you hope with dass, and the verb goes to the end of the clause.
- Wenn introduces a condition or a repeated event, which does not fit after hoffe here.
- Obwohl expresses a contrast, which makes no sense after hoffe.
- Weil gives a reason, but the sentence expresses a hope, not a cause.
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.