Folgen ausdrücken (Expressing Consequences)
Expressing Consequences (Folgen ausdrücken)
In German, different connectors help express consequences or results logically. These words connect two ideas, showing that one event or action leads to another.
Overview: Important Connectors for Expressing Consequences
The following connectors indicate a logical consequence. They can be divided into three main groups:
Adverbial Connectors (Main Clause, Verb in Position 2)
These connectors usually appear at the beginning of the sentence or after the subject. The verb remains in position 2 except “weshalb” where cojugated verb goes to the end of sentence.
Connector | Meaning | Example |
deshalb | therefore, that’s why | It is raining, therefore I take an umbrella. → Es regnet, deshalb nehme ich einen Regenschirm mit. |
deswegen | for this reason | I ate too much, that’s why I have a stomachache. → Ich habe zu viel gegessen, deswegen habe ich Bauchschmerzen. |
darum | that’s why, therefore | He was tired, so he went to bed early. → Er war müde, darum ging er früh ins Bett. |
daher | hence, for that reason | The road was closed, hence we had to take a detour. → Die Straße war gesperrt, daher mussten wir einen Umweg nehmen. |
weshalb | why, for this reason | I don’t have a car, which is why I have to take the bus. → Ich habe kein Auto, weshalb ich mit dem Bus fahren muss. |
folglich | consequently | He did not study, consequently he failed the exam. → Er hat nicht gelernt, folglich hat er die Prüfung nicht bestanden. |
infolgedessen | as a result | The company suffered major losses, as a result it had to close down. → Das Unternehmen hat große Verluste gemacht, infolgedessen musste es schließen. |
Note:
- “deshalb”, “deswegen”, “darum”, and “daher” are mostly interchangeable.
- “folglich” and “infolgedessen” are more formal and commonly used in written language or official contexts.
Subordinating Conjunctions (Konsekutivsätze)
These connectors introduce subordinate clauses, where the verb is placed at the end.
Connector | Meaning | Example |
sodass | so that, with the result that | He spoke very quietly, so that we could hardly understand him. → Er sprach sehr leise, sodass wir ihn kaum verstehen konnten. |
so … dass | so … that | The film was so exciting that I couldn’t stop watching. → Der Film war so spannend, dass ich nicht aufhören konnte zu schauen. |
Difference:
- “sodass” describes a direct consequence.
- “so … dass” emphasizes the intensity of a condition leading to a result.