In this lesson, you will learn all about two-part conjunctions, how they are used, what they mean and what types there are.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!CONTENTS
What are two-part conjunctions in German?
Two-part conjunctions and word order
Main and subordinating clauses
Abbreviated sentences with simple conjunctions
What are two part conjunctions in German?
Two-part conjunctions in German are connected in a sentence in such a way that one conjunction is in one sentence and the other is in the second sentence. Two conjunctions always belong together, so they form a pair. Which pair corresponds to the sentence depends on the meaning of the sentence, so it cannot be decided by grammatical rules.
Click on
Grammar Contents
Two-part conjunctions and the word order
In the table below you will find examples of conjunctions in which the place of the verb related to the conjunction is highlighted by color.
It’s important to note that the order of the two conjunctions cannot be reversed; therefore, you cannot move the other clauses in front of the first clause. Some of these conjunctions consist of two words each, for example: nicht nur – sondern auch.
| Two-parts Conjunction | Example | Meaning |
| zwar … aber | Ich bin zwar keine Vegetarierin, aber ich mag einfach kein Fleisch. I’m not a vegetarian, but I just don’t like meat. | Opposite: positive – negative; although – but |
| nicht nur … sondern auch | Sie kann nicht nur gut singen, sondern auch gut tanzen. Not only can she sing well, she can also dance well. | Enumeration: two good things or two bad things; one is added to the other and appreciated as something special, not only – but also |
| entweder … oder | Entweder ich schicke dir eine SMS oder ich rufe dich an. I can either send you a text message or give you a call. | Alternative: two things that are not possible or done at the same time; or – or |
| weder … noch | Im Hotel dürfen wir weder rauchen noch Alkohol trinken. We are not allowed to smoke or drink alcohol in the hotel. | Double negation: nor – neither |
| einerseits …. (aber) andererseits / auf der einen Seite …. (aber) auf der anderen Seite | Einerseits möchte ich gerne in derGroßstadt wohnen, andererseits ist mir das Leben dort zu teuer. On the one hand, I would like to live in a big city, but on the other hand, living there is too expensive for me. | Trade-off: two things that have different advantages (or disadvantages) that you cannot have at the same time; on the one hand …. on the other hand |
| sowohl … als auch | Sie ist sowohl Sängerin als auch Schauspielerin. She is both a singer and an actress. Sowohl er als auch sie hört gern Musik. Both he and she like listening to music. | Combination: two things that are possible at the same time |
| je … desto/umso | Je mehr Schnee auf der Straße ist, desto langsamer fahren die Autos. The more snow there is on the road, the slower the cars drive. | Parallel comparison: two things become bigger/better (or smaller/worse) at the same time, one conditions the other |
Main or subordinating clauses
All two-part conjunctions are found in main clauses EXCEPT the conjunction je … desto.
When it comes to the conjunction je … desto, a sentence beginning with je is a subordinating sentence and the verb is at the end of the sentence, a sentence starting with desto is not subordinating and the verb is in the second place.
For example:
Je eher wir anfangen, desto besser ist es.
Je älter man wird, desto erfahrener wird man.
Je mehr er aß, umso dicker wurde er.
Short sentences with two-part conjunctions
When both sentences with a two-part conjunction have the same subject and verb, then the sentence can be shortened. This avoids repetition.
Examples:
Ich kaufe sowohl ein neues Handy als auch kaufe ich einen neuen Computer.
Er spielt nicht nur Basketball, sonderner spielt auch Handball.
Meine Schwester trinkt weder Kaffee noch trinkt sie Tee.
Wir gehen heute Abend entweder ins Kino oder wir gehen ins Theater.
See more
