German Coordinating Conjunctions
Link two main clauses without changing word order, and know when to use sondern instead of aber.
Coordinating conjunctions join two main clauses and sit in position 0, outside the sentence. The word order after them stays exactly the same.
There are five to learn: und, aber, oder, denn and sondern. Many learners remember them as ADUSO.
Position 0: word order stays the same
The conjunction takes no position of its own. The next clause starts normally, with the verb in position 2.
- The conjunction counts as position 0.
- The verb stays in position 2 of its clause.
- If a time word comes first, subject and verb swap.
Ich trinke Kaffee, aber mein Mann trinkt Tee.
I drink coffee, but my husband drinks tea.
Wir gehen ins Kino und danach essen wir Pizza.
We're going to the cinema and afterwards we'll eat pizza.
The five conjunctions
ADUSO
- contrastaberbut
- reasondennbecause, for
- additionundand
- correctionsondernbut rather
- choiceoderor
Ich bleibe heute zu Hause, denn ich bin krank.
I'm staying at home today because I'm ill.
Möchtest du Wasser oder Saft?
Would you like water or juice?
aber or sondern?
Both mean 'but'. Use sondern only after a negation (nicht or kein) when you correct the first part.
Das ist kein Hotel, sondern eine Jugendherberge.
That isn't a hotel but a youth hostel.
Das Hotel ist nicht billig, aber es ist sehr schön.
The hotel isn't cheap, but it's very nice.
Commas and shared parts
- Always put a comma before aber, denn and sondern.
- No comma is needed before und and oder.
- Drop a repeated subject after und.
Anna steht auf und macht Frühstück.
Anna gets up and makes breakfast.
Common mistakes
✗
Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn bin ich krank.✓ Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank.
denn is position 0, so no inversion follows.
✗
Ich trinke keinen Kaffee, aber Tee.✓ Ich trinke keinen Kaffee, sondern Tee.
After a negation, correct with sondern, not aber.
✗
Und dann ich gehe nach Hause.✓ Und dann gehe ich nach Hause.
dann takes position 1, so the verb follows.
Questions learners ask
Is denn the same as weil?
Both give a reason, but denn keeps normal word order while weil sends the verb to the end. Also, a denn clause can never come first.
Do I need a comma before und in German?
Usually not. Unlike aber, denn and sondern, und and oder normally take no comma, even between two full clauses.