Your German Answers 'What' and 'When'. Here's How to Answer 'Why'.

You’ve reached a specific point in your German journey. 🇩🇪

You can probably introduce yourself, order a coffee, and describe your weekend. Your sentences are correct. You can say things like:

• Ich lerne Deutsch. (I am learning German.)
• Das Wetter ist gut. (The weather is good.)
• Ich gehe ins Kino. (I am going to the cinema.)

This is the A2 level. You’re communicating facts. You're answering the questions 'What?' and 'When?'. But there's a question your German probably can't answer yet: 'Why?'

When you try to connect ideas, does it feel like you're building with disconnected blocks?

"Ich bin müde. Ich gehe ins Bett." (I am tired. I am going to bed.)

It’s grammatically perfect, but it lacks flow. It sounds like a report, not a conversation. It doesn't explain the relationship between the two ideas. To sound more natural, to express more complex thoughts, and to truly break into the B1 level, you need to build bridges between your sentences. You need to explain the logic.

This guide will give you the tools to do just that. We're going to explore the small but mighty words that turn simple statements into sophisticated thoughts: subordinating conjunctions. Mastering them is the single biggest step you can take right now to make your German sound more intelligent and fluent.

The Golden Rule: The Verb 'Kick'

Before we meet our new connector words, we need to understand the one rule that governs them all. In German, when you use most of these special conjunctions, you create something called a subordinate clause (a Nebensatz). And in a subordinate clause, the conjugated verb gets kicked all the way to the end of the clause.

• Normal Sentence: Ich gehe heute nicht aus. (The verb 'gehe' is in the second position.)
• With a Conjunction: ..., weil ich heute nicht ausgehe. (The verb 'gehe' is at the very end.)

This will feel strange at first. Your brain will want to put the verb in its usual spot. But with practice, this verb kick will become second nature. It's the secret handshake of fluent German sentence structure.

Let’s meet the most important conjunctions that will help you start answering 'Why?'.

1. Explaining the Reason: weil (because)

Weil is your new best friend. It is the most common way to directly answer the question 'Why?' (Warum?). It connects a result with its cause.

The Structure: [Main Clause with Result], weil [Subordinate Clause with Reason + Verb at the End].

Let's transform our earlier example:

• Before: Ich bin müde. Ich gehe ins Bett. (I am tired. I am going to bed.)
• After: Ich gehe ins Bett, weil ich müde bin. (I am going to bed because I am tired.)

See what happened? The verb bin from the second sentence got kicked to the end. The two simple ideas are now one logical, flowing sentence. 🚀

Let's look at more examples:

• Simple: Er trinkt Wasser, weil er Durst hat. (He drinks water because he is thirsty.)
• With a Modal Verb: Ich kann heute nicht kommen, weil ich arbeiten muss. (I can't come today because I have to work.) Note: The conjugated modal verb muss is kicked to the end.
• With a Separable Prefix Verb: This is where it gets tricky for many learners! The prefix and the verb stem join back together at the end.
  • Der Zug fährt pünktlich ab. (The train departs on time.)
  • Wir kommen pünktlich an, weil der Zug pünktlich abfährt. (We arrive on time because the train departs on time.) The prefix ab- and the verb fährt reunite at the end of the clause.

Common Mistake: Many learners confuse weil with denn. Denn also means 'because', but it's a coordinating conjunction, which means it does not change the word order. It just sits between two normal main clauses.

• Using weil: Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil das Wetter schlecht ist. (Verb at the end)
• Using denn: Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn das Wetter ist schlecht. (Normal word order)

While denn is easier, weil is far more common in spoken and written German. Mastering weil is essential for fluency.

Your Turn (Mini-Exercise): Combine these sentences using weil.

1. Sie lernt Spanisch. Sie will nach Madrid reisen.
2. Ich kaufe ein neues Handy. Mein altes Handy ist kaputt.

(Answers at the end of the post!)

2. Setting Conditions: wenn and falls (if / when / in case)

Life is full of conditions. 'If this happens, then that happens.' In German, wenn is your primary tool for this.

Wenn can mean 'if' (for a condition) or 'when/whenever' (for a recurring event).

The Structure: Wenn [Subordinate Clause + Verb at the End], [Main Clause with Verb in First Position].

Notice something new? If you start the sentence with the conjunction, the main clause that follows must begin with its verb. It's like the first verb 'slot' is already taken by the entire subordinate clause.

• Wenn as 'if': Wenn du Zeit hast, können wir einen Kaffee trinken. (If you have time, we can drink a coffee.)
• Wenn as 'whenever': Wenn ich in Berlin bin, besuche ich immer meine Tante. (Whenever I am in Berlin, I always visit my aunt.)

What if the condition is less likely? For something that might happen, like an emergency, Germans often use falls ('in case'). It signals a lower probability than wenn.

• Falls for lower probability: Nimm meinen Schlüssel, falls ich nicht zu Hause bin. (Take my key in case I am not at home.)

Using falls correctly is a subtle touch that makes your German sound more precise and less like a textbook.

Common Mistake: Mixing up wenn (if/when) and wann (when as a question word). Wann is ONLY used in questions.

• Correct Question: Wann kommst du? (When are you coming?)
• Incorrect Statement: Ich weiß nicht, wann er kommt. Oh wait, this one is actually correct because it's an indirect question. Let's find a better example.
• Correct Statement with wenn: Sag mir Bescheid, wenn du ankommst. (Let me know when you arrive.)
• Incorrect Statement with wann: Wir gehen spazieren, wann das Wetter gut ist. This is wrong. It should be: Wir gehen spazieren, wenn das Wetter gut ist.

3. Introducing Contrast: obwohl (although / even though)

Sometimes, reality contradicts expectations. It's raining, but you go for a walk. The movie was bad, but you enjoyed it. Obwohl is the perfect word to express this powerful contrast.

It shows a level of critical thinking that moves beyond simple A-to-B logic. It's a B1-level powerhouse.

The Structure: [Main Clause], obwohl [Contradictory Fact + Verb at the End].

• Ich bin spazieren gegangen, obwohl es stark geregnet hat. (I went for a walk although it rained heavily.)
• Obwohl der Film langweilig war, sind wir bis zum Ende geblieben. (Although the movie was boring, we stayed until the end.) - Remember the verb-first rule for the main clause when you start with obwohl!

Using obwohl correctly immediately makes your German sound more mature and thoughtful. It shows you can hold two competing ideas in your head and express them in a single, elegant sentence.

Your Turn (Mini-Exercise): Combine these sentences using obwohl.

1. Er ist sehr müde. Er geht nicht schlafen.
2. Das Essen war teuer. Es hat nicht gut geschmeckt.

4. Reporting Thoughts and Speech: dass (that)

How often do you say things like, "He said that..." or "I think that..."? All the time! Dass is the conjunction you need to report speech, thoughts, feelings, and knowledge.

It usually follows verbs like:

• sagen (to say)
• denken (to think)
• glauben (to believe)
• wissen (to know)
• hoffen (to hope)
• finden (to find/think, as in an opinion)

The Structure: [Main Clause with reporting verb], dass [Reported Information + Verb at the End].

• Sie sagt, dass sie später kommt. (She says that she is coming later.)
• Ich denke, dass Deutsch eine interessante Sprache ist. (I think that German is an interesting language.)
• Wir hoffen, dass du die Prüfung bestanden hast. (We hope that you passed the exam.)

Mastering dass-clauses is fundamental. It's the difference between being able to say "He is tired" and being able to say "She told me that he is tired." It unlocks a whole new dimension of communication.

Theory Into Practice: The Gap Between Knowing and Doing

Okay, you've just learned the theory behind four of the most powerful words in German. You understand the 'verb-kick' rule for weil, wenn, obwohl, and dass. You can see the logic.

But we all know the feeling. You read a grammar rule, you nod along... and then you try to write an email or speak to someone, and your brain freezes. The old, simple sentence patterns take over. You write "Ich lerne Deutsch. Ich will in Berlin arbeiten" because it feels safe, even though you now know how to connect them with weil.

This is the gap between passive knowledge and active skill. Reading about grammar isn't enough. Watching videos isn't enough. To truly master these structures, you need to:

1. Produce: Actively try to use them in your own writing.
2. Get Feedback: Find out immediately if you did it right or wrong.
3. Correct: Understand the mistake and try again.

This cycle is how real learning happens. But where can you find a safe space to practice writing complex German sentences and get instant, reliable corrections without needing to hire an expensive tutor? 🤔

Accelerate Your Learning with an AI-Powered Practice Cycle

This is precisely the problem we designed Toritark to solve. It’s not just another flashcard app; it’s a complete learning environment built around this exact cycle of production, feedback, and correction.

Here’s how it helps you master the concepts we just discussed:

1. Create Your Personal Sandbox (AI Story Generation) Instead of staring at a blank page wondering what to write about, you can choose a topic you find interesting—'A dialogue in a restaurant,' 'My daily routine,' 'A weekend trip'—and Toritark's AI generates a unique, short story at your A2 level. This text is now your personal practice ground, filled with natural examples of sentence structures.

2. Move from Reading to Writing (Story Retelling) After reading the story, Toritark prompts you to do the most important thing for your learning: retell the story in your own words. This is your moment! The story might say, "The man was hungry. He went to the bakery." Now it's your turn to write: "Der Mann ging in die Bäckerei, weil er hungrig war." Or maybe, "Obwohl es schon spät war, war die Bäckerei noch offen."

3. Get Instant, Granular Feedback (AI Correction) This is where the magic happens. You submit your retelling, and our AI provides an incredible analysis. It doesn't just give you a score. It shows your text side-by-side with a corrected version.

• It will highlight the dass-clause where you forgot to kick the verb to the end.
• It will show you the correct word order after your wenn-clause.
• Crucially, it provides clear explanations in your native language, saying something like, "In a subordinate clause starting with 'weil', the conjugated verb must be the last element in the clause."

This isn't just about finding mistakes. It's about understanding them so you don't make them again. It’s like having a 24/7 German tutor who is infinitely patient and focused entirely on you.

4. Reinforce What You Learn (Contextual Vocabulary Practice) As you read the stories, you can save new words. Later, Toritark creates fill-in-the-blank exercises using those exact words in their original sentences. You learn vocabulary not in isolation, but within the grammatical structures you're trying to master.

The journey from answering 'what' to explaining 'why' is a huge leap in your German fluency. These conjunctions are the keys, but active practice and instant feedback are what turn the keys in the lock. Stop guessing if your sentences are correct and start building them with confidence.

Mini-Exercise Answers:

1. Sie lernt Spanisch, weil sie nach Madrid reisen will.
2. Ich kaufe ein neues Handy, weil mein altes Handy kaputt ist.
3. Er geht nicht schlafen, obwohl er sehr müde ist. (or: Obwohl er sehr müde ist, geht er nicht schlafen.)
4. Das Essen hat nicht gut geschmeckt, obwohl es teuer war. (or: Obwohl das Essen teuer war, hat es nicht gut geschmeckt.)