German coordinate sentences play a significant role in the German language, allowing speakers to express ideas and connect independent clauses. Understanding how to construct and use coordinate sentences is essential for effective communication in German. In this introduction, we will explore the key features of coordinate sentences, their structure, conjunctions used, and provide examples to illustrate their usage.
What are Coordinate Sentences?
Coordinate sentences, also known as compound sentences, are sentences that consist of two or more independent clauses joined together. These independent clauses are of equal importance and can stand alone as separate sentences. By connecting these clauses, coordinate sentences enable German speakers to express multiple ideas in a single sentence, emphasizing the relationship between them.
Structure of Coordinate Sentences
The structure of a coordinate sentence in German follows a pattern where each independent clause maintains its own subject and verb. The clauses are then linked using coordinating conjunctions or coordinating adverbs. The coordinating conjunctions commonly used in German are “und” (and), “oder” (or), “aber” (but), “denn” (for), “sondern” (but rather), and “doch” (yet). Coordinating adverbs such as “jedoch” (however), “trotzdem” (nevertheless), and “außerdem” (besides) can also be used to join the clauses.
Examples of Coordinate Sentences
Let’s explore some examples of coordinate sentences to better understand their construction and usage:
a) Ich trinke gerne Kaffee, und meine Schwester trinkt lieber Tee.
(I like to drink coffee, and my sister prefers tea.)
In this example, two independent clauses, “Ich trinke gerne Kaffee” (I like to drink coffee) and “meine Schwester trinkt lieber Tee” (my sister prefers tea), are connected by the coordinating conjunction “und” (and).
b) Er studiert Jura, aber seine Freundin studiert Medizin.
(He studies law, but his girlfriend studies medicine.)
Here, the independent clauses “Er studiert Jura” (He studies law) and “seine Freundin studiert Medizin” (his girlfriend studies medicine) are linked by the coordinating conjunction “aber” (but).
c) Sie spielt gerne Fußball, oder sie geht ins Kino.
(She enjoys playing soccer, or she goes to the cinema.)
In this example, the coordinating conjunction “oder” (or) is used to connect the independent clauses “Sie spielt gerne Fußball” (She enjoys playing soccer) and “sie geht ins Kino” (she goes to the cinema).
Punctuation in Coordinate Sentences
In German, coordinate sentences require specific punctuation to separate the clauses properly. Each independent clause is typically separated by a comma. However, if the clauses are very short, a comma is not always necessary. Additionally, when using coordinating conjunctions, the conjunction is placed before the second independent clause, and a comma follows it.
Using Coordinating Adverbs
Apart from coordinating conjunctions, German speakers can also employ coordinating adverbs to link independent clauses in coordinate sentences. These adverbs serve a similar purpose by indicating the relationship between the ideas presented. Here are a couple of examples:
a) Er ist reich; dennoch ist er unzufrieden.
(He is rich; nevertheless, he is unhappy.)
In this example, the coordinating adverb “dennoch” (nevertheless) connects the independent clauses “Er ist reich” (He is rich) and “er ist unzufrieden” (he is unhappy).
b) Ich gehe gerne schwimmen; außerdem jogge ich oft.
(I enjoy swimming; besides that, I often go jogging.)
Here, the coordinating adverb “außerdem” (besides that) is used to join the independent clauses “Ich gehe gerne schwimmen” (I enjoy swimming) and “ich jogge oft” (I often go jogging).
Conclusion
Coordinate sentences are an essential aspect of German grammar, allowing speakers to express multiple ideas and connect independent clauses. By understanding their structure, using coordinating conjunctions or adverbs, and employing appropriate punctuation, learners can effectively construct and communicate in coordinate sentences. It is crucial to practice constructing and analyzing various examples to become comfortable with this aspect of the German language.
Quick quiz
Exercise 1:
Which coordinating conjunction is suitable to connect the following independent clauses?
Example: er studiert Architektur, sie malt gerne.
a) aber
b) und
c) oder
Answer: b) und
Example Sentence: Er studiert Architektur, und sie malt gerne. (He studies architecture, and she enjoys painting.)
Explanation: In this case, we need a coordinating conjunction that signifies addition or continuation. The correct choice is “und” (and), as it effectively connects the two independent clauses.
Exercise 2:
Which coordinating adverb fits in the given sentence to connect the independent clauses?
Example: Er mag keine Schokolade, _ isst er gerne Gummibärchen.
a) trotzdem
b) jedoch
c) außerdem
Answer: c) außerdem
Example Sentence: Er mag keine Schokolade, außerdem isst er gerne Gummibärchen. (He doesn’t like chocolate; besides that, he enjoys eating gummy bears.)
Explanation: The coordinating adverb “außerdem” (besides that) is used to indicate an additional statement or idea that follows the first independent clause.
Exercise 3:
Which coordinating conjunction best connects the independent clauses to express contrast?
Example: Sie arbeitet hart, _ verdient sie wenig Geld.
a) aber
b) denn
c) sondern
Answer: c) sondern
Example Sentence: Sie arbeitet hart, sondern verdient sie wenig Geld. (She works hard, but she earns little money.)
Explanation: The coordinating conjunction “sondern” (but rather) is used to express a contrasting relationship between the two independent clauses.
Exercise 4:
Choose the appropriate punctuation for the coordinate sentence:
Example: Ich gehe schwimmen _ jogge ich oft.
a) ,
b) ;
c) :
Answer: a) ,
Example Sentence: Ich gehe schwimmen, jogge ich oft. (I go swimming, I often go jogging.)
Explanation: In coordinate sentences, the independent clauses are separated by a comma to indicate a clear division between the two ideas.
Exercise 5:
Identify the coordinating conjunction that fits in the given sentence:
Example: Er spielt Fußball _ er liest gerne Bücher.
a) und
b) aber
c) oder
Answer: a) und
Example Sentence: Er spielt Fußball und er liest gerne Bücher. (He plays soccer, and he enjoys reading books.)
Explanation: The coordinating conjunction “und” (and) is used to connect the two independent clauses, indicating that both actions are happening.
Exercise 6:
Choose the coordinating adverb that links the independent clauses to show a contrasting relationship:
Example: Der Film war langweilig, _ bin ich trotzdem eingeschlafen.
a) jedoch
b) trotzdem
c) außerdem
Answer: b) trotzdem
Example Sentence: Der Film war langweilig, trotzdem bin ich eingeschlafen. (The movie was boring, nevertheless, I fell asleep.)
Explanation: The coordinating adverb “trotzdem” (nevertheless) demonstrates a contrasting relationship between the two independent clauses.
Exercise 7:
Identify the coordinating conjunction that connects the independent clauses to indicate a choice:
Example: Möchtest du Tee trinken, _ Kaffee?
a) und
b) oder
c) aber
Answer: b) oder
Example Sentence: Möchtest du Tee trinken oder Kaffee? (Would you like to drink tea or coffee?)
Explanation: The coordinating conjunction “oder” (or) is used to present a choice between the two options mentioned.
Exercise 8:
Select the coordinating adverb that fits the sentence to indicate an additional statement:
Example: Ich spiele gerne Klavier, _ male ich auch gerne.
a) jedoch
b) außerdem
c) trotzdem
Answer: b) außerdem
Example Sentence: Ich spiele gerne Klavier, außerdem male ich auch gerne. (I enjoy playing the piano, besides that, I also enjoy painting.)
Explanation: The coordinating adverb “außerdem” (besides that) adds an additional statement to the first independent clause.
Exercise 9:
Choose the appropriate punctuation for the coordinate sentence:
Example: Ich gehe einkaufen _ komme ich nach Hause.
a) ,
b) ;
c) :
Answer: a) ,
Example Sentence: Ich gehe einkaufen, komme ich nach Hause. (I go shopping, then I come home.)
Explanation: A comma is used to separate the two independent clauses in a coordinate sentence, indicating a natural pause between the two ideas.
Exercise 10:
Identify the coordinating conjunction that fits the given sentence to express a reason:
Example: Ich lerne Deutsch, _ ich nach Deutschland reisen möchte.
a) aber
b) denn
c) sondern
Answer: b) denn
Example Sentence: Ich lerne Deutsch, denn ich möchte nach Deutschland reisen. (I am learning German because I want to travel to Germany.)
Explanation: The coordinating conjunction “denn” (for) is used to indicate a reason or cause for the first independent clause.
Originally posted 2023-07-19 15:01:11.