Chapter 13 of 17 · Explore the German path
Verbs and stories · Chapter 13 of 17
Words that join one idea to the next
Eight joining words hold a paragraph together. Learn the opening every German fairy tale uses, and why a comma before weil sends that half’s doing word to the very end.
≈ 3 min of reading · Practise at your own pace
What’s in this chapter
- Es war einmal …
ess var INE-mahl opens every German fairy tale — word for word, “it was once”. - Eight joining words hold a paragraph together.
- weil
vile “because” sends its own half’s doing word to the end; the comma is the signpost. - An order puts the doing word first and drops the doer.
Once upon a time…
Es war einmal …
ess var INE-mahl
Word for word “it was once”. Every German fairy tale begins with it.
Eight joining words
A joining word links two halves of a sentence. These eight hold a paragraph together.
| English | German |
|---|---|
| and | und |
| but | aber |
| then | dann |
| because | weil |
| with | mit |
| very | sehr |
| again | wieder |
| one day | eines Tages |
Why a comma sends the doing word to the end
One joining word moves the doing word. Read the English first, then find the German doing word at the end of its half.
Come with me!
Komm mit mir!
kom mit meer
An order: the doing word goes first, drops its ending, and the doer is unsaid. mir
Follow the comma
- Ich gehe in den Wald, weil ich Hunger habe.
The half after the comma ends on its doing word.
Show answer +Hide answer −
Ich gehe in den Wald, weil ich Hunger habe.ich GAY-uh in dayn valt, vile ich HOONG-uh HAH-buh “I am going to the forest, because I am hungry.” - Der Hase kam wieder.
Show answer +Hide answer −
Der Hase kam wieder.dair HAH-zuh kahm VEE-duh “The rabbit came again.”