Ich gehe ins Kino, weil ich den Film sehen möchte, obwohl ich müde bin.
English: I am going to the cinema because I want to see the film, although I am tired.
- Language
- German
- Level
- B2
- Unit
- Nebensätze und Satzstruktur
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Complex subordinate clauses in German are sentences that contain more than one subordinate clause, often connected with conjunctions like 'weil', 'obwohl', or 'dass'. These clauses give extra information and make sentences longer and more detailed.
When to use it
Use complex subordinate clauses in German to express detailed ideas, reasons, conditions, contrasts, or results. They help you connect multiple pieces of information in one sentence.
Key forms
- Hauptsatz, Nebensatz 1, Nebensatz 2
- ..., weil ... obwohl ...
- ..., dass ... wenn ...
Examples
Er sagt, dass er kommt, wenn er Zeit hat.
English: He says that he will come if he has time.
Wir bleiben zu Hause, weil es regnet und weil wir keine Lust haben auszugehen.
English: We are staying at home because it is raining and because we do not feel like going out.
Sie lernt Deutsch, damit sie in Deutschland studieren kann, obwohl es schwierig ist.
English: She is learning German so that she can study in Germany, although it is difficult.
Tips
- Remember: In German subordinate clauses, the verb goes to the end of the clause.
- If you use two or more subordinate clauses, each one usually starts with a conjunction and ends with its verb.
- Be careful not to mix up the word order between main and subordinate clauses.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Sometimes, when a subordinate clause comes before the main clause, the main clause starts with the verb.
- Some conjunctions like 'denn' do not change the word order.