Subordinate clauses: weil, dass, wenn, ob

The verb goes to the end

A subordinate clause is a small sentence that hangs on a main sentence and can't stand alone. It starts with a word like weil, dass, wenn or ob.

In this clause the verb with the ending (bin, hat, wohnt) goes to the very end: Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich müde bin.

Before the clause there is always a comma.

• Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Berlin wohne.

  I'm learning German because I live in Berlin.

• Frau Hilde sagt, dass der Kuchen sehr lecker ist.

  Frau Hilde says that the cake is very tasty.

Four words and their jobs

Weil gives a reason (because). Dass passes on a thought, often after sagen, glauben, wissen or finden (that).

Wenn is for a condition or for something that happens every time (if, when). Ob turns a yes/no question into part of a sentence (whether).

Tip: English often says if for both wenn and ob. If you could say whether, take ob.

• Frida fährt mit dem Rad, weil es schneller geht.

  Frida goes by bike because it's quicker.

• Otti trinkt viel Tee, wenn er krank ist.

  Otti drinks a lot of tea when he's ill.

• Kalle fragt, ob wir an den See mitkommen.

  Kalle asks whether we're coming to the lake with him.

Two verbs at the end

With a modal verb (können, müssen, wollen…) or the Perfekt (the past with haben or sein) there are two verbs. Both go to the end, and the one with the ending comes last: …, weil ich arbeiten muss. …, dass Bruno gekocht hat.

A separable verb (aufstehen, ankommen) is one word again at the end: …, wenn der Zug ankommt.

• Ich komme heute nicht, weil ich arbeiten muss.

  I'm not coming today because I have to work.

• Weißt du, ob Kalle schon gegessen hat?

  Do you know if Kalle has already eaten?

• Sag mir Bescheid, wenn du ankommst.

  Let me know when you arrive.

The clause comes first

The clause can also come first. In a main sentence the verb is always the second part, and the whole clause counts as the first part. So the main verb comes right after the comma: Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.

In the middle you get verb, comma, verb. It sounds strange at first, but it is just right.

• Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.

  If it rains, I stay at home.

• Wenn Bruno Hunger hat, kocht er sofort eine Suppe.

  When Bruno is hungry, he makes soup straight away.

  The tinted words form a set phrase: Hunger haben

• Weil die U-Bahn nicht fährt, nehmen wir den Bus.

  Because the underground isn't running, we're taking the bus.