Weil, dass, wenn: why the verb goes to the end
In German, the conjugated verb goes to the end of a subordinate clause. Words like weil (because), dass (that), wenn (if, when), ob (whether) and obwohl (although) start such a clause, and the verb waits until the last position: Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin. If there are two verb parts, the conjugated one comes last of all: weil ich morgen arbeiten muss. A comma always separates the subordinate clause from the main clause.
Which words send the verb to the end?
The words that start a subordinate clause are called subordinating conjunctions. These are the ones you will use every week.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| weil | because | Ich komme später, weil der Bus Verspätung hat. |
| dass | that | Ich hoffe, dass es morgen klappt. |
| wenn | if, when, whenever | Ruf mich an, wenn du da bist. |
| ob | whether, if | Weißt du, ob der Laden heute offen ist? |
| obwohl | although | Sie geht zur Arbeit, obwohl sie erkältet ist. |
| als | when (once, in the past) | Als ich nach Berlin kam, sprach ich kaum Deutsch. |
| bevor, nachdem | before, after | Ich rufe an, bevor ich losfahre. |
| damit | so that | Ich schreibe es auf, damit ich es nicht vergesse. |
| während | while | Er telefoniert, während er kocht. |
Question words do the same job in indirect questions. Wo ist der Bahnhof? is a direct question with the verb second, but inside a longer sentence the verb goes to the end: Können Sie mir sagen, wo der Bahnhof ist? Relative pronouns behave the same way, which you can see in German relative clauses.
How do you build a sentence with weil?
Take an ordinary main clause and send its conjugated verb to the end. Nothing else changes position.
Ich bin krank.
I'm ill.
Ich bleibe heute zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.
I'm staying at home today because I'm ill.
Der Zug hat Verspätung.
The train is late.
Ich glaube, dass der Zug Verspätung hat.
I think the train is late.
The subject usually comes straight after the conjunction, and pronouns stay near the front: weil ich mich nicht gut fühle, dass er es dir morgen gibt. Only the verb travels.
What happens with modal verbs, the Perfekt and separable verbs?
This is where most mistakes happen, so it is worth learning the patterns one by one.
| Main clause | Subordinate clause |
|---|---|
| Ich muss morgen arbeiten. | ..., weil ich morgen arbeiten muss. |
| Er hat den Termin vergessen. | ..., dass er den Termin vergessen hat. |
| Wir sind schon angekommen. | ..., dass wir schon angekommen sind. |
| Der Zug kommt um acht an. | ..., wenn der Zug um acht ankommt. |
| Ich rufe dich an. | ..., wenn ich dich anrufe. |
Three rules sit behind this table:
- The conjugated verb is the very last word, after any infinitive or participle: arbeiten muss, vergessen hat.
- Separable verbs join up again at the end, written as one word: an and kommt become ankommt. There is more on these verbs in German separable verbs.
- Nothing comes after the verb except, sometimes, another clause.
Kannst du mir sagen, wann der nächste Zug abfährt?
Can you tell me when the next train leaves?
Ich weiß nicht, ob ich morgen kommen kann.
I don't know if I can come tomorrow.
What happens when the weil clause comes first?
A subordinate clause can also open the sentence. Then it fills the first position of the main clause, and by the verb-second rule of German word order the main clause has to continue with its verb.
Weil ich krank bin, bleibe ich heute zu Hause.
Because I'm ill, I'm staying at home today.
Wenn ich Zeit habe, rufe ich dich an.
If I have time, I'll call you.
Als wir ankamen, war das Büro schon zu.
When we arrived, the office was already closed.
This gives the typical German pattern: verb, comma, verb. If you see two verbs meeting at a comma, the sentence is probably built correctly.
Do Germans really put the verb at the end after weil?
In writing, always. In relaxed speech you will often hear something different: many Germans say weil with the verb in second position, usually with a small pause after weil, as in Ich komme nicht mit, weil ich hab heute keine Zeit. (I'm not coming, because I haven't got time today). This is common in conversation, but it counts as an error in an exam or a formal email.
If you want the verb in second position, there is a clean way to do it: use denn. After denn the word order stays normal.
Ich komme nicht mit, denn ich habe heute keine Zeit.
I'm not coming, because I haven't got time today.
The difference between the two kinds of "because" is explained in German conjunctions.
Which mistakes do learners make most often?
- Leaving the verb in second position: weil ich bin krank instead of weil ich krank bin.
- Putting the conjugated verb before the infinitive: weil ich morgen muss arbeiten instead of weil ich morgen arbeiten muss.
- Splitting a separable verb: wenn der Zug kommt an instead of wenn der Zug ankommt.
- Forgetting the comma: German always puts a comma before weil, dass, wenn and the rest.
- Inverting the main clause wrongly: Wenn ich Zeit habe, ich rufe dich an instead of Wenn ich Zeit habe, rufe ich dich an.
How does Linota help with weil, dass and wenn?
Subordinate clauses are everywhere in real German, and Linota's daily texts are full of them. In the Reading room and the news on Home you can tap any word to see its meaning in the sentence, so you keep meeting the verb at the end in context. Say it yourself shows you a sentence in English and asks you to say it in German, which trains exactly the moment when you have to hold the verb back. The writing feedback marks a verb in the wrong place and explains why.
The short version
- Weil, dass, wenn, ob, obwohl, als and question words in indirect questions send the conjugated verb to the end.
- With two verb parts, the conjugated verb is last: arbeiten muss, vergessen hat.
- Separable verbs join up again: ankommt, anrufe.
- A comma always separates the subordinate clause from the main clause.
- If the subordinate clause comes first, the main clause starts with its verb.
Ready for the next step? German relative clauses use the same rule with der, die and das.
Questions people ask
Does the verb always go to the end after weil?
In written German and in exams, yes: weil sends the conjugated verb to the end of its clause. In relaxed speech many Germans say weil with the verb in second position, usually after a short pause. Learners should use the verb at the end, or switch to denn if they want the verb second.
What is the difference between weil and denn?
Both mean because. After weil the verb goes to the end, after denn the word order stays normal, with the verb second. A denn clause cannot come first in the sentence, while a weil clause can.
Do I need a comma before weil and dass?
Yes. In German a subordinate clause is always separated from the main clause by a comma, before weil, dass, wenn, ob, obwohl and all the others. This is one of the few comma rules with no exceptions worth worrying about.
Where does the verb go in an indirect question?
An indirect question is a subordinate clause, so the verb goes to the end. Wo ist der Bahnhof? becomes Können Sie mir sagen, wo der Bahnhof ist? The question word works like weil or dass.