Subordinate clauses · verb last
Give reasons and report what you know. After weil ("because"), dass ("that"), wenn ("if"), obwohl ("although") or ob ("whether"), the conjugated (changed to match the subject) verb drops to the very end of its clause.
Examples
- Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.I'm staying home because I'm ill.
- Ich weiß, dass er morgen kommt.I know that he's coming tomorrow.
- Weil ich krank bin, bleibe ich zu Hause.Because I'm ill, I'm staying home.
After this pattern you can
- give a reason with weil
- report what you know or think with dass
- set a condition with wenn
- make a concession with obwohl
- ask politely with ob or a W-word: Weißt du, wann …?
Start with a conversation
Why aren't you coming?
Because I'm ill.
Do you know when he's coming?
I know that he's coming tomorrow.
And if the weather's good?
Then we'll go for a walk.
In "Weil ich krank bin" the bin has moved to the very end. Compare the plain sentence: Ich bin krank.
The rule
I'm staying home because I'm ill.
I know he's coming tomorrow.
Although he's tired, he keeps working.
The common conjunctions
WITH A MODAL the modal is the conjugated (changed to match the subject) verb, so IT goes last — behind the infinitive (the dictionary form, like gehen):
…, because I have to get up early tomorrow.
WITH THE PERFEKT the helper goes last:
SEPARABLE VERBS rejoin
Clause first
the whole clause fills slot 1, so the main verb comes straight after the comma:
Indirect questions
ob and W-words A question tucked inside a sentence is a clause too, so its verb goes last. A yes/no question starts with ob (never wenn or dass); a W-question keeps its W-word:
I don't know whether he's coming tomorrow.
Do you know when the train leaves?
Do you know where the station is?
Obwohl
although obwohl says something happens anyway:
He goes for a walk although it's raining.
Although it's cold, we're going swimming.
(damit, "so that", works the same way; it comes at B1 with um … zu.)
Phrases you can use today
…, because I have no time.
I think that …
If I have time, …
I don't know whether …
Typical mistakes
The verb must go last. Chinese and English both keep the normal order here; German does not.
denn and aber are NOT subordinating — the word order after them stays normal.
What you'll practise
1. Conjugated verb last
After weil / dass / wenn / obwohl the verb moves to the end: …, weil ich krank bin.
- Ich glaube, dass sie recht hat.I think that she's right.
- Er kommt nicht, weil er arbeitet.He isn't coming because he's working.
2. With a modal or Perfekt
The conjugated (changed to match the subject) part goes last, behind the infinitive or participle (the ge- form, like gegessen): …, weil ich aufstehen muss.
- …, weil ich früh aufstehen muss.…because I have to get up early.
- …, weil ich zu spät gekommen bin.…because I arrived too late.
3. Subordinate clause first
The whole clause fills slot 1, so the main verb follows straight after the comma: Weil ich krank bin, bleibe ich…
- Wenn es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause.If it rains we'll stay home.
- Als ich klein war, wohnte ich in Köln.When I was small I lived in Cologne.
4. Indirect questions: ob, wann, wo
A yes/no question inside a sentence starts with ob, a W-question keeps its W-word, and the verb goes last: Ich weiß nicht, ob er kommt.
- Ich weiß nicht, ob er morgen kommt.I don't know whether he's coming tomorrow.
- Weißt du, wann der Zug fährt?Do you know when the train leaves?
5. obwohl (although)
obwohl says something happens anyway, and sends the verb last: Er geht spazieren, obwohl es regnet.
- Er geht spazieren, obwohl es regnet.He goes for a walk although it's raining.
- Obwohl es kalt ist, gehen wir schwimmen.Although it's cold, we're going swimming.
Practise it until it sticks
Short drills built on these 5 skills, with instant feedback on every answer. Free to start.