Coordinating Conjunctions
Koordinierende Konjunktionen
German has five coordinating conjunctions — und, aber, oder, denn and sondern — and none of them changes the word order. The clause after them keeps the normal subject-verb pattern, as in Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank, where bin stays in second position instead of moving to the end.
Connect sentences with und, aber, oder, denn.
Rules & Explanations
Coordinating Conjunctions Introduction
Einführung: Koordinierende Konjunktionen
Want to connect two sentences? In German, some conjunctions are easy — they do not change word order! These are called coordinating conjunctions: und, aber, oder, denn, sondern.
German works the same way! Coordinating conjunctions (und, aber, oder, denn, sondern) connect sentences without changing word order. The verb stays in position 2 in both parts.
In English: and, but, or, because, but rather. They simply connect two sentences: I am tired, but I am working.
Ich bin müde, aber ich arbeite weiter.
I am tired, but I keep working.
aber connects two sentences. Word order stays normal: Subject + Verb + ...
These 5 conjunctions are the easiest to use — no word order changes! Master them first before learning subordinating conjunctions.
The 5 Coordinating Conjunctions
Die 5 koordinierenden Konjunktionen
These 5 conjunctions do not change word order!
Diese 5 Konjunktionen ändern die Wortstellung nicht!
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| und | and | Ich trinke Kaffee und esse Kuchen. |
| aber | but | Es ist teuer, aber gut. |
| oder | or | Kommst du oder bleibst du? |
| denn | because/for | Ich bleibe, denn ich bin müde. |
| sondern | but rather | Nicht Kaffee, sondern Tee. |
und, aber, oder, denn, sondern = no word order change. Verb stays in position 2!
ADUSO: Aber, Denn, Und, Sondern, Oder. These keep normal word order!
Common Mistakes
-
✗ Ich bleibe, denn bin ich müde.
✓ Ich bleibe, denn ich bin müde.
After denn, word order stays normal: subject + verb. denn does not send the verb to the end!
aber vs. sondern
sondern only comes after nicht or kein. It means but rather or but instead.
sondern kommt nur nach nicht oder kein.
| Use aber when... | Use sondern when... |
|---|---|
| Two things are both true | You correct a negative statement |
| Es ist teuer, aber gut. | Nicht teuer, sondern billig. |
| (expensive and good = both true) | (not expensive, but cheap = correction) |
| No negative in first part | Must have negative (nicht/kein) in first part |
sondern = but rather. only after nicht/kein! Nicht A, sondern B.
aber = both true. sondern = correction after nicht/kein.
Common Mistakes
-
✗ Das Buch ist interessant, sondern lang.
✓ Das Buch ist interessant, aber lang.
No negative in first part → use aber, not sondern. sondern only corrects a negative.
-
✗ Das ist nicht rot, aber blau.
✓ Das ist nicht rot, sondern blau.
After nicht, when you correct/replace, use sondern: not red, but (rather) blue.
denn vs. weil
Both mean because, but denn keeps normal word order, weil sends verb to end!
Beide bedeuten because, aber denn = normale Wortstellung, weil = Verb ans Ende!
| denn (coordinating) | weil (subordinating) |
|---|---|
| Normal word order after denn | Verb goes to end after weil |
| Ich bleibe, denn ich bin müde. | Ich bleibe, weil ich müde bin. |
| Position 0 (does not count) | Sends verb to position last |
| More formal / written | More common in spoken German |
denn = normal order (ich bin). weil = verb at end (ich müde bin). Same meaning, different grammar!
denn = easy (normal order). weil = tricky (verb at end). Learn denn first!
Common Mistakes
-
✗ Ich gehe, denn ich müde bin.
✓ Ich gehe, denn ich bin müde.
denn keeps normal word order! Do not move the verb to the end.
Comma Rules
Kommaregeln
Put a comma before aber, denn, sondern when they join two full sentences: Ich lese, aber er schreibt. Before und and oder the comma is optional — you may add one for clarity: Ich arbeite(,) und er schläft. No comma when connecting just words or phrases: Kaffee und Tee.
Komma vor aber, denn, sondern bei zwei Hauptsätzen: Ich lese, aber er schreibt. Vor und/oder ist das Komma optional: Ich arbeite(,) und er schläft. Kein Komma bei einzelnen Wörtern: Kaffee und Tee.
I read, but he writes. / Coffee or tea?
Ich lese, aber er schreibt. / Kaffee oder Tee?
Examples
Ich trinke Kaffee und esse Kuchen.
I drink coffee and eat cake.
undund connects two actions. Normal word order in both parts.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ich | I |
| trinke | drink |
| Kaffee | coffee |
| und | and |
| esse | eat |
| Kuchen | cake |
Das Essen ist gut, aber teuer.
The food is good but expensive.
aberaber shows contrast. Both things are true: good AND expensive.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Das Essen | The food |
| ist | is |
| gut | good |
| aber | but |
| teuer | expensive |
Möchtest du Tee oder Kaffee?
Would you like tea or coffee?
oderoder offers a choice between two options.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Möchtest | Would like |
| du | you |
| Tee | tea |
| oder | or |
| Kaffee | coffee |
Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank.
I stay at home because I am sick.
denndenn gives a reason. Word order stays NORMAL after denn: ich bin (not ich krank bin!).
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ich | I |
| bleibe | stay |
| zu Hause | at home |
| denn | because |
| ich bin | I am |
| krank | sick |
Das ist nicht mein Auto, sondern seins.
That is not my car, but (rather) his.
sondernsondern corrects after nicht. Not mine, but his.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Das | That |
| ist | is |
| nicht | not |
| mein Auto | my car |
| sondern | but rather |
| seins | his |
Er arbeitet, und sie studiert.
He works, and she studies.
undund connects two full sentences; a comma before und here is optional.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Er | He |
| arbeitet | works |
| und | and |
| sie | she |
| studiert | studies |
Sie spricht nicht Deutsch, sondern Englisch.
She does not speak German, but (rather) English.
sondernnicht + sondern = correction. Not German, but English.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sie | She |
| spricht | speaks |
| nicht | not |
| Deutsch | German |
| sondern | but rather |
| Englisch | English |
Kommst du mit, oder bleibst du hier?
Are you coming along, or are you staying here?
oderoder connects two questions/options. Normal word order in both parts.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kommst | Come |
| du | you |
| mit | along |
| oder | or |
| bleibst | stay |
| hier | here |
Practice Exercises
8 interactive exercises
Ich mag Pizza ___ Pasta.
I like pizza and pasta.
You got on this topic's exercises.
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Common questions about German coordinating conjunctions
What are the coordinating conjunctions in German?
There are five: und (and), aber (but), oder (or), denn (because) and sondern (but rather). They join two clauses of equal rank and leave word order untouched, which makes them the easiest connectors to learn. Ich trinke Kaffee und esse Kuchen keeps the verb in its usual position in both halves.
Do German coordinating conjunctions change word order?
No. They sit in what grammarians call position zero, outside the clause, so they do not count as the first element. The subject follows and the conjugated verb stays second: Das Essen ist gut, aber teuer, and Möchtest du Tee oder Kaffee?. This is exactly what separates them from subordinating conjunctions like weil.
What is the difference between aber and sondern in German?
Aber joins two things that are both true: Es ist teuer, aber gut. Sondern corrects a negative statement, so the first part must contain nicht or kein: Nicht Kaffee, sondern Tee — not coffee, but tea instead. If you cannot say not X in the first half, aber is the word you need.
What is the difference between denn and weil?
Both mean because, but they behave differently. Denn is coordinating and keeps normal word order: Ich bleibe, denn ich bin müde. Weil is subordinating and pushes the verb to the end: Ich bleibe, weil ich müde bin. Denn feels slightly more formal or written; weil is the everyday spoken choice.
Do I need a comma before und in German?
Usually not. German drops the comma before und and oder when they join two main clauses, and it is never used when the second half shares the subject, as in Ich trinke Kaffee und esse Kuchen. Aber, denn and sondern, by contrast, do take a comma: Das Essen ist gut, aber teuer.