Finalsätze grammar in German

Language: German
Level: B2
Unit: Nebensätze und Satzstruktur
Practice types: 0

What this grammar point covers

Final clauses ('Finalsätze') in German are subordinate clauses that express the purpose or goal of an action. They answer the question 'Why?' or 'For what purpose?'.

When to use it

Use final clauses in German when you want to explain the purpose or intention behind an action. They are often used to say why someone does something or what they want to achieve.

Key forms

um ... zu + Infinitiv (when the subject is the same in both clauses)
damit + Verb am Ende (when the subject is different)

Examples

Ich lerne Deutsch, um in Deutschland zu studieren.

English: I am learning German in order to study in Germany.

Er macht Sport, um gesund zu bleiben.

English: He does sports in order to stay healthy.

Sie fährt früh los, damit sie nicht zu spät kommt.

English: She leaves early so that she is not late.

Wir sparen Geld, damit wir eine Reise machen können.

English: We save money so that we can go on a trip.

Tips

Use 'um ... zu' only if the subject in both parts of the sentence is the same.
'damit' is used when the subjects are different in the main and subordinate clause.
The verb goes to the end of the clause after 'damit'.