How do you use Sondern in a sentence in German?
So sentences with “sondern” present a positive alternative to the previous clause. However, “sondern” can only be used if the two clauses are logically connected- by using the same verb or a similar one. e.g. Ich fahre nicht gern mit meinem Auto in Urlaub, sondern ich fliege lieber.
How are German sentences arranged?
The basic German sentence order is SVO: subject, verb, object. The verb, the main verb or the conjugated part of the verb is always the second element of the sentence. If the subject does not precede the verb, main verb or conjugated part, it must follow it immediately.
Does so change word order in German?
German Conjunctions: The 2 Types Of Conjunctions. Conjunctions are little words that you use to join two parts of a sentence together. “And”, “because” and “so” are all examples of conjunctions in English. Let’s start with the simplest case: German conjunctions that don’t affect the word order.
What case does Sondern take?
Sondern is used only when the contradicted clause is negative, in other words contains nicht or kein, and it can be translated as but rather or instead – but not instead of.
What is the difference between Weil and Denn?
Denn and weil are both words that mean ‘because. ‘ They are synonyms that can be used interchangeably. While denn does not affect the word order of the sentence, weil sends the conjugated verb to the end of the clause.
Does word order matter in German?
Word order (also called syntax) in German is usually driven by the placement of the verb. The verb in German can be in the second position (most common), initial position (verb first), and clause-final position….
| Dative noun | Accusative noun |
|---|---|
| Pronoun | Noun |
| Accusative pronoun | Dative pronoun |
How does German word order work?
If you remember nothing else about German word order, remember this: the subject will either come first or immediately after the verb if the subject is not the first element. This is a simple, hard and fast rule. In a statement (not a question) the verb always comes second.
What is the V2 rule in German?
The V2 rule: The finite verb (i.e. the verb that is conjugated to match the subject) belongs in the second position. As in English, the most common word order in German is Subject – Verb – Direct Object (as in “Der Mann isst den Apfel,” “The man eats the apple”).
How important is word order in German?
In a German sentence, the position of the verb (doing word) is very important. It has to be the second idea in the sentence. In this example, ich is the first idea and spiele is a verb and is therefore the second idea. But sometimes, the idea is more than one word.
When to use sondern in a negative sentence?
On the other hand, sondern is only used after a negative clause when expressing a contradiction. In other words, the first clause of the sentence must contain either nicht or kein, and the second part of the sentence must contradict the first part of the sentence. Sondern can be best translated as but rather.
How is the word sondern related to the word besonder?
In German, that’s built in with sondern. And that makes sense, too. You see, s ondern is related to besonders ( special, especially), sonderbar (strange) and the English asunder and even though these words seem very different on the surface, there’s a common underlying theme: separation.
What’s the difference between sondern and Aber in German?
The difference between the words “ sondern ” and “ aber ” is that you use “ sondern ” where you’d use “but rather” (meaning: instead) in English. The word “ sondern ” must be preceded by a negation. “ Aber ” can be preceded by a negation, but it doesn’t have to be.
Which is the normal word order in German?
There are different kinds of conjunctions that have different effects on the sentence. The “normal” word order, as we expect it to be, is Subject Verb Object. Ich werfe den Ball. Coordinating conjunctions have no effect on word order: und, denn, sondern, aber, and oder.