German Subordinating Conjunctions

Why This Matters

Subordinating conjunctions are the architectural glue of complex German sentences—and they're everywhere on the AP exam. Whether you're writing an essay about Familienrollen, analyzing a text about Umweltherausforderungen, or responding to an audio prompt about Kunstbewegungen, you'll need these conjunctions to express causation, contrast, time relationships, and purpose. The Interpersonal and Presentational Writing tasks specifically reward students who can construct sophisticated, multi-clause sentences that demonstrate nuanced thinking.

Here's what makes German subordinating conjunctions tricky: they trigger verb-final word order in the subordinate clause. This isn't just a grammar rule to memorize—it's a signal to your reader (and AP graders) that you understand how German syntax works. Don't just memorize which word means "because" or "although"; know when to use each conjunction, why one might be more appropriate than another in a given context, and how the sentence structure changes. That's what separates a 3 from a 5.

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Conjunctions of Causation and Reasoning

These conjunctions answer the question warum? and help you build arguments, explain motivations, and justify positions—essential skills for persuasive writing and cultural analysis.

weil (because)

• Introduces cause or reason—the most common way to explain why something happens in everyday German
• Verb goes to the end of the subordinate clause: Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Berlin studieren will.
• Ideal for FRQs when you need to justify an opinion or explain cultural phenomena like Elternzeit policies

da (because, since)

• More formal register than weil—preferred in academic writing and formal presentations
• Often appears at the beginning of a sentence: Da die Energiewende wichtig ist, investiert Deutschland in erneuerbare Energien.
• Signals sophistication to AP graders when used appropriately in Presentational Writing tasks

damit (so that)

• Expresses purpose or intention—what someone hopes to achieve through an action
• Requires a different subject in the subordinate clause (otherwise use um...zu): Die Eltern arbeiten Teilzeit, damit die Kinder nicht allein sind.
• Perfect for discussing policy goals like Kohleausstiegsgesetz or family support programs

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Conjunctions of Contrast and Concession

When you need to acknowledge counterarguments or express unexpected outcomes, these conjunctions show critical thinking—a skill AP graders love to see.

obwohl (although)

• Introduces unexpected contrast—something happens despite another fact: Obwohl das Atomausstieg umstritten ist, unterstützen viele Deutsche die Entscheidung.
• Demonstrates nuanced thinking when analyzing complex topics like environmental policy or family dynamics
• Verb-final structure applies: the conjugated verb moves to the end of the obwohl clause

während (while—contrastive)

• Can express contrast between two situations, not just simultaneous time: Während Westdeutschland traditionelle Familienrollen bevorzugte, waren in der DDR berufstätige Mütter die Norm.
• Useful for cultural comparisons—Ost-West differences, generational gaps, or regional dialects
• Double function (time and contrast) makes it versatile but requires context to clarify meaning

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Conjunctions of Time Relationships

Sequencing events accurately is crucial for narration, historical analysis, and describing processes—think Kunstbewegungen or the evolution of Familienrollen.

wenn (when—repeated or future)

• For habitual or future events—Wenn ich nach Deutschland reise, besuche ich immer einen Weihnachtsmarkt.
• Also means "if" in conditional statements: Wenn du Fragen hast, kannst du mich fragen.
• Contrast with als is a classic AP test point—wenn for repeated/future, als for single past events

als (when—single past event)

• Specifically for one-time past events—Als die Berliner Mauer fiel, änderte sich die deutsche Kunstszene.
• Never use for repeated actions—that's wenn territory
• Essential for historical narratives about art movements, political changes, or family history

nachdem (after)

• Indicates completed prior action—often requires past perfect (Nachdem er Elternzeit genommen hatte, kehrte er zur Arbeit zurück.)
• Tense relationship matters: the nachdem clause typically uses a "more past" tense than the main clause
• Useful for sequencing policy implementations or artistic developments

bevor (before)

• Action in main clause happens first—Bevor die Familie zu Abend isst, deckt jeder den Tisch.
• Same tense in both clauses (unlike nachdem): no special tense shift required
• Great for describing routines like Abendbrot traditions or preparation processes

bis (until)

• Sets an endpoint—Die Kinder spielen draußen, bis es dunkel wird.
• Often paired with present tense for ongoing situations
• Useful for deadlines and time limits in policy discussions (Kohleausstieg bis 2038)

seit(dem) (since)

• Marks a starting point for ongoing situations—Seitdem Deutschland die Energiewende begonnen hat, sind erneuerbare Energien gewachsen.
• Present tense in German for actions still continuing (unlike English past tense)
• Key for discussing duration of policies, trends, or cultural changes

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Conjunctions of Condition and Possibility

These conjunctions let you discuss hypotheticals, contingencies, and alternatives—essential for persuasive writing and nuanced analysis.

wenn (if—conditional)

• Introduces conditions—Wenn die Regierung mehr investiert, wird die Energiewende schneller gelingen.
• Same word as temporal "when"—context determines meaning
• Pairs with Konjunktiv II for unreal conditions: Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich nach München ziehen.

falls (in case)

• Emphasizes uncertainty or contingency—stronger doubt than wenn: Falls es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause.
• Useful for precautionary statements or backup plans
• More specific than wenn when you want to stress that something might not happen

solange (as long as)

• Condition must persist for the main action to continue: Solange die Eltern arbeiten, sind die Kinder im Hort.
• Expresses duration contingent on a condition—not just time, but conditional time
• Perfect for policy analysis—Solange fossile Brennstoffe billig sind, bleibt der Umstieg schwierig.

ob (whether)

• Introduces indirect questions or alternatives—Ich weiß nicht, ob er kommt.
• Essential for expressing uncertainty—common in discussions of controversial topics
• Frequently appears in listening comprehension when speakers discuss possibilities

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Quick Reference Table

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Self-Check Questions

1. You're writing about a one-time historical event—the founding of the Bauhaus in 1919. Would you use als or wenn to say "when the Bauhaus was founded"? Why?

2. Compare weil and da: In what type of AP writing task would you choose da over weil, and what effect does this choice have on your writing's register?

3. Which two conjunctions both express time relationships but differ in whether the action is completed before or after another? Give an example sentence for each.

4. You want to express that Germany invests in renewable energy so that future generations benefit. Which conjunction would you use, and what must be true about the subjects of your two clauses?

5. An FRQ asks you to discuss environmental policy challenges. Write one complex sentence using obwohl to acknowledge a counterargument, then explain why this conjunction demonstrates critical thinking to AP graders.