Reference · module 23
Although, therefore, in order to
Everything this module explains, on one page.
obwohl and trotzdem
Concede a point and still make yours.
- obwohl means although and behaves like weil: the verb goes to the end. Ich gehe spazieren, obwohl es regnet.
- trotzdem means nevertheless and behaves like dann: it takes first place and pushes the verb to second. Es regnet. Trotzdem gehe ich spazieren.
- Same idea, two grammars. obwohl joins two halves into one sentence; trotzdem starts a new one. Choosing the wrong word order is the usual slip.
The mistake you are about to make
Obwohl es regnet, ich gehe spazieren.
Obwohl es regnet, gehe ich spazieren.
"Although it is raining, I am going out" keeps I in front. The obwohl half has filled the first slot, so the verb takes the second and ich falls in behind it.
deshalb and darum
State a consequence rather than a reason.
- weil gives the reason and deshalb gives the result, and they point in opposite directions. Es regnet, deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause.
- deshalb, darum, deswegen and daher all mean the same thing and all take first place, pushing the verb to second.
- So the same two facts can be joined either way round: Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet — or Es regnet, deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause.
The mistake you are about to make
Es regnet, deshalb ich bleibe zu Hause.
Es regnet, deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause.
Deshalb reads like an aside — "so, I am staying home" — and English asides change nothing around them. This one takes the first slot, and the verb has to follow it.
damit and um … zu
Say what something is for.
- um … zu says in order to, and it works only when both halves have the same subject: Ich lerne Deutsch, um in Berlin zu arbeiten.
- When the subjects differ, use damit: Ich erkläre es, damit du es verstehst. Two people, so um … zu is not available.
- The zu sits directly before the infinitive, and inside a separable verb it goes between the parts: einzukaufen, anzurufen, aufzustehen.
The mistake you are about to make
Ich erkläre es, um du es zu verstehen.
Ich erkläre es, damit du es verstehst.
"To" and "so that" blur together in English, and um…zu feels like the general-purpose one. It only works when both halves share a subject; two people need damit.
Holding an argument together
Make a point, meet an objection and conclude.
- einerseits … andererseits sets up two sides: Einerseits ist es teuer, andererseits spart man Zeit. Both parts take first place, so both verbs come second.
- zum Beispiel introduces the evidence, and insgesamt or alles in allem closes the case. Four phrases and an opinion becomes an argument.
The mistake you are about to make
Zum Beispiel, ich arbeite viel.
Zum Beispiel arbeite ich viel.
In English "for example" sits outside the sentence with a comma after it. In German it takes the first slot like any other phrase, so the verb comes straight after.