A2 German GrammarCoordinating Conjunctions
Learn German coordinating conjunctions like und, aber, oder, and denn to connect sentences and ideas. These conjunctions do not change word order and are essential for fluent German.
1Basic Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions connect two main clauses or equal sentence parts. They do not affect word order - the verb stays in position 2 in both clauses. The most common are: und, aber, oder, denn.
Main Coordinating Conjunctions
| German | English | Function |
|---|---|---|
| und | and | Addition |
| aber | but | Contrast |
| oder | or | Alternative |
| denn | because/for | Reason |
| sondern | but rather | Correction |
Examples
Ich trinke Kaffee und er trinkt Tee.
I drink coffee and he drinks tea.
und connects two facts
Sie ist müde, aber sie arbeitet weiter.
She is tired, but she keeps working.
aber shows contrast
Kommst du mit oder bleibst du hier?
Are you coming along or staying here?
oder presents a choice
Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank.
I am staying home because I am sick.
denn gives the reason
2Using 'sondern'
Sondern means 'but rather' and is used after a negative statement to introduce what is true instead. It corrects the first statement. You must have a negation (nicht, kein) before using sondern.
aber vs. sondern
| Type | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| aber | General contrast | klein aber stark |
| sondern | After negation | nicht A, sondern B |
| sondern | Correction | not X but Y |
Examples
Das ist nicht rot, sondern blau.
That is not red, but (rather) blue.
Correcting a statement
Er fährt nicht mit dem Bus, sondern mit dem Fahrrad.
He doesn't go by bus, but by bike.
After nicht
Sie trinkt keinen Kaffee, sondern Tee.
She doesn't drink coffee, but tea.
After kein
Ich bin nicht müde, sondern hungrig.
I am not tired, but hungry.
sondern replaces the negated item
3Connecting Words and Phrases
Coordinating conjunctions can also connect individual words, phrases, and adjectives - not just full sentences. This makes your German more efficient and natural-sounding.
Connecting Different Elements
| Element Type | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Nouns | Brot und Butter | bread and butter |
| Adjectives | groß und stark | big and strong |
| Verbs | lesen oder schreiben | read or write |
| Phrases | heute oder morgen | today or tomorrow |
Examples
Ich mag Äpfel und Birnen.
I like apples and pears.
Connecting two nouns
Er ist jung, aber sehr klug.
He is young, but very clever.
Connecting adjective phrases
Möchtest du Kaffee oder Tee?
Would you like coffee or tea?
Simple word connection
Klein, aber fein!
Small but fine!
Common expression
4Word Order with Conjunctions
With coordinating conjunctions, the word order in both clauses stays normal (verb in position 2). This is different from subordinating conjunctions like weil or dass, which send the verb to the end.
Position 0 Conjunctions
| Position 0 | Position 1 | Position 2 | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Und | ich | gehe | nach Hause. |
| Aber | er | bleibt | hier. |
| Oder | wir | gehen | ins Kino. |
| Denn | sie | hat | keine Zeit. |
Examples
Ich koche, und du spülst ab.
I cook, and you wash the dishes.
Normal word order in both parts
Er will kommen, aber er hat keine Zeit.
He wants to come, but he has no time.
Verb stays in position 2
Rufst du an, oder schreibst du?
Will you call, or will you write?
Both verbs in position 2
Ich esse nicht viel, denn ich bin satt.
I don't eat much because I am full.
denn doesn't change order