📇 Lernkartei
Home › Grammar

German grammar: weil · denn · deshalb

All three express a reason or a result, but the word order differs. After weil the conjugated verb goes to the end. After denn the sentence continues in normal order. deshalb (that's why) states a result and is followed directly by the verb.

Practise this topic →

Example questions with answers

Which is correct? (I'm staying at home because I'm ill.)
→ Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.
Why: In a weil clause the conjugated verb goes to the END: … weil ich krank bin.
Which is correct? (I'm ill. That's why I'm staying at home.)
→ Ich bin krank. Deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause.
Why: deshalb fills position 1 → the verb comes right after it (position 2), then the subject.
Which is correct? (I'm staying at home, because I'm ill.)
→ Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank.
Why: denn doesn't change word order: denn + normal sentence (ich bin krank).
Er kommt heute nicht, weil er Fieber hat.
He's not coming today because he has a fever.
Why: The verb (hat) is at the end → weil.
Er hat Fieber. Deshalb kommt er heute nicht.
He has a fever. That's why he's not coming today.
Why: The verb comes right after and the sentence states a RESULT → deshalb (that's why).
Sie geht nicht zur Arbeit, denn sie ist erkältet.
She's not going to work, because she has a cold.
Why: A normal word order clause follows (sie ist …) → denn.
Ich muss zum Zahnarzt, weil ich Zahnschmerzen habe.
I have to go to the dentist because I have toothache.
Why: weil → verb at the end; ich → habe.
Which is correct? (… because I have to get up early tomorrow.)
→ …, weil ich morgen früh aufstehen muss.
Why: With a modal verb: infinitive + conjugated verb (muss) at the very end.
Which is correct? (… because I went to bed too late yesterday.)
→ …, weil ich gestern zu spät ins Bett gegangen bin.
Why: In the perfect tense: participle + conjugated auxiliary (bin) at the end.
Sie ist müde, weil sie jeden Tag früh aufsteht. (aufstehen)
She's tired because she gets up early every day.
Why: In a weil clause a separable verb is JOINED and goes to the end: aufsteht.
I have a headache. → Ich habe Kopfschmerzen.
Why: Pain: …schmerzen haben (plural). Another way: Mir tut der Kopf weh.
Mir tut der Bauch weh. (der Bauch)
My stomach hurts.
Why: The thing that hurts (Bauch) is the subject → nominative: der. The dative is 'mir'.
Someone told you some bad news. What do you say?
→ Oh, das tut mir wirklich leid!
Why: Das tut mir leid = I'm sorry. (wehtun = to hurt)
Hoffentlich hast du nichts Schlimmes!
I hope it's nothing serious!
Why: Fixed phrase: nichts Schlimmes = nothing bad. 'I hope it's nothing serious!'
Ich habe Angst vor dem Zahnarzt.
I'm afraid of the dentist.
Why: Angst haben vor + dative = to be afraid of.
Er ist mit dem Fahrrad hingefallen. (fell)
He fell off his bike.
Why: hinfallen (separable, irregular, movement → sein): ist hingefallen.
Practise this topic →

More grammar topics