Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect clauses or elements of equal grammatical rank and shape the flow of meaning. This guide covers the main German coordinating conjunctions with brief examples.

Key Conjunctions

The main coordinating conjunctions in German are und, oder, aber, denn and sondern. Each one connects similar elements but conveys a different relation such as addition, choice, contrast, cause or correction.

German	English	Note
und	and	Adds information
oder	or	Presents alternatives
aber	but	Contrasts ideas
denn	for/because	Gives reason
sondern	but rather	Corrects or contrasts

Und

Und joins two similar elements and adds information. It is the simplest conjunction for linking actions, things or ideas. The word order remains normal and the second element follows immediately.

Examples

German Example	English Translation
☕ Ich trinke Kaffee und lese die Zeitung.	I drink coffee and read the newspaper.
🍞 Wir kaufen Brot und Obst auf dem Markt.	We buy bread and fruit at the market.
🧴 Sie nahm das Handtuch und die Sonnencreme.	She took the towel and the sunscreen.

Oder

Oder presents an alternative or choice between two elements. It can be used for questions as well as statements. The word order stays the same and each option remains parallel.

Examples

German Example	English Translation
🥤 Möchtest du Wasser oder Saft?	Would you like water or juice?
🏖️ Sollen wir an den Strand oder in den Park gehen?	Should we go to the beach or the park?
🍕 Willst du Pizza oder Pasta zum Abendessen?	Do you want pizza or pasta for dinner?

Aber

Aber introduces a contrast or exception to what was said before. It can emphasize a qualification or surprising detail. The clause after aber follows normal word order and the tone is often slightly oppositional.

Examples

German Example	English Translation
🌧️ Es war bewölkt, aber wir gingen trotzdem spazieren.	It was cloudy, but we went for a walk anyway.
🔥 Das Lagerfeuer war schön, aber es wurde schnell kalt.	The campfire was nice, but it got cold quickly.
🚶‍♂️ Ich wollte schwimmen, aber das Wasser war zu kalt.	I wanted to swim, but the water was too cold.

Denn

Denn gives a reason or explanation for the preceding statement. It connects cause and effect without changing the word order. It is somewhat more formal or emphatic than weil in spoken language.

Examples

German Example	English Translation
🌄 Wir standen früh auf, denn wir wollten den Sonnenaufgang sehen.	We got up early because we wanted to see the sunrise.
🧺 Wir blieben im Park, denn das Wetter war so schön.	We stayed in the park because the weather was so nice.
🔦 Wir nahmen Laternen mit, denn es wurde bald dunkel.	We took lanterns because it was getting dark soon.

Sondern

Sondern signals a correction and is used when the second element contradicts a negative first element. The first clause must be negative for sondern to fit; it replaces an expected alternative with the true one.

Examples

German Example	English Translation
German Example	English Translation
---	---
🌲 Wir gingen nicht in den Wald, sondern blieben auf der Wiese.	We did not go into the forest, but stayed on the meadow.
🛶 Sie fuhr nicht mit dem Boot, sondern lief am Ufer entlang.	She did not go by boat, but walked along the shore.
🍎 Er kaufte keine Orangen, sondern Äpfel.	He did not buy oranges, but apples.

Summary

Coordinating conjunctions connect elements of equal rank and keep the normal word order. Use und for addition, oder for choice, aber for contrast, denn for cause and sondern for correction after a negative.

Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025