Learn German | Kausalsatz | Nebensatz | weil (da) vs denn | German for beginners | A2 - Lesson 4

Learn German

20 Dec 201712:52

Summary

TLDRThis video script offers a detailed lesson on 'Kausalsätze' or causal sentences in German, which are used to provide reasons or causes. It explains how to construct these sentences using the conjunctions 'weil' and 'da' to connect the main clause with the subordinate clause. The script provides examples and clarifies the placement of verbs and the use of commas. It also touches on the subtle differences between 'weil' and 'da' and their usage in spoken German, encouraging viewers to practice sentence construction in the comments section.

Takeaways

📚 The video is a lesson on 'Kausalsätze' or causal sentences, which are used to give reasons or causes for something.
🔗 Causal sentences are formed using two conjunctions: 'weil' (because) and 'da' (since), which have the same meaning in this context.
👉 The main clause (Hauptsatz) and the subordinate clause (Nebensatz) are combined to form a causal sentence, with the verb in the subordinate clause placed at the end.
🤔 Questions like 'Warum lernst du Deutsch?' (Why are you learning German?) or 'Weshalb lernst du Deutsch?' (For what reason are you learning German?) are asking for the reason behind an action.
💡 To answer such questions, you can use a causal sentence, for example, 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren will' (I am learning German because I want to study in Germany).
😷 An example of a causal sentence with a negative situation is 'Ich kann nicht arbeiten, weil ich krank bin' (I cannot work because I am sick).
🏠 Another example provided is 'Wir bleiben zu Hause, weil es heute regnet' (We stay at home because it is raining today), where the reason for staying home is the rain.
🚂 A missed train can also be a reason for being late, as in 'Ich bin spät, weil ich den Zug verpasst habe' (I am late because I missed the train).
📝 The script encourages viewers to complete sentences in the comments section, such as 'Ich bleibe am Wochenende zu Hause, weil...' (I stay at home on the weekend because...).
👍 The video ends with an invitation to like, subscribe, and comment on the channel for more educational content.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?
-The main topic of the video script is teaching the use of causal clauses in German, specifically with the conjunctions 'weil' and 'da'.
What are causal clauses in German?
-Causal clauses in German are subordinate clauses that provide a reason or cause for the main clause.
How are causal clauses formed in German?
-Causal clauses in German are formed using the conjunctions 'weil' and 'da' to connect the main clause with the subordinate clause that provides the reason or cause.
What is the difference between using 'weil' and 'da' in causal clauses?
-Both 'weil' and 'da' can be used to introduce causal clauses, but 'da' is more commonly used in spoken language, while 'weil' is more formal.
Can you give an example of a causal clause using 'weil'?
-An example using 'weil' is: 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren will.' which translates to 'I am learning German because I want to study in Germany.'
Can you provide an example of a causal clause using 'da'?
-An example using 'da' is: 'Ich kann nicht arbeiten, da ich krank bin.' which means 'I cannot work because I am sick.'
What is the position of the verb in a causal clause in German?
-In a causal clause in German, the verb is usually positioned at the end of the clause.
How can you form a sentence with a causal clause starting with the conjunction?
-You can start a sentence with the conjunction 'weil' or 'da', followed by the subordinate clause and then the main clause, with the verb at the end of the subordinate clause and the main clause starting with the subject.
What is the purpose of the comma in sentences with causal clauses?
-The comma in sentences with causal clauses is used to separate the main clause from the subordinate clause, making the sentence structure clear.
How can you answer the question 'Warum lernst du Deutsch?' using a causal clause?
-You can answer the question 'Why are you learning German?' with a causal clause like: 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren will.'
What is the significance of the word order in the main clause and the subordinate clause when forming causal sentences?
-In the main clause, the verb typically comes second, following the subject, while in the subordinate clause, the verb is placed at the end, following the subject and any other elements of the clause.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Causal Clauses with 'Weil' and 'Da'

This paragraph introduces the concept of causal clauses in German, particularly focusing on the conjunctions 'weil' and 'da'. It explains that causal clauses provide a reason or cause for the action in the main clause. The paragraph provides examples like 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren will' (I learn German because I want to study in Germany) and explains the structure of these sentences. The main clause has the verb in the second position, while the verb in the subordinate clause appears at the end. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of commas between the main and subordinate clauses and mentions that 'weil' and 'da' can be used interchangeably.

05:04

🔄 Structure and Usage of Causal Clauses

This paragraph delves deeper into the structure of sentences using 'weil' and 'da'. It explains that the verb in the main clause remains in the second position while the verb in the subordinate clause is placed at the end. The paragraph provides another example: 'Ich kann nicht arbeiten, weil ich krank bin' (I can't work because I am sick), showing the main clause and the subordinate clause with the verb placement. It also explains how the clauses can be reversed with 'da' or 'weil' at the beginning, as in 'Da ich krank bin, kann ich nicht arbeiten' (Since I am sick, I can't work). The paragraph highlights that 'da' is often used more in spoken language.

10:05

❓ Understanding and Forming Causal Clauses in Context

This paragraph continues to explore examples of causal clauses, illustrating how they answer questions about reasons, such as 'Warum bist du spät?' (Why are you late?). An example provided is 'Ich bin spät, weil ich den Zug verpasst habe' (I am late because I missed the train), showing the main clause and the subordinate clause structure. The paragraph also explains how to combine sentences with 'weil' and 'da', emphasizing verb placement at the end of the subordinate clause and at the beginning of the main clause when reversed. It touches on the distinction between written and spoken language usage and gives tips for forming such sentences.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Nebensatz

A 'Nebensatz' is a subordinate clause in German that provides additional information to the main clause (Hauptsatz). In the video, the concept is crucial as it shows how reasons are given using clauses like 'weil' and 'da.' For example, in 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren will,' 'weil ich in Deutschland studieren will' is the Nebensatz explaining the reason.

💡Hauptsatz

A 'Hauptsatz' is a main clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It is fundamental in understanding sentence structure. In the example 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren will,' 'Ich lerne Deutsch' is the Hauptsatz providing the primary information that can be expanded by a Nebensatz.

💡Weil

'Weil' is a conjunction meaning 'because' in German. It introduces a subordinate clause (Nebensatz) that provides the reason for the action in the main clause (Hauptsatz). For example, 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren will' uses 'weil' to explain why the speaker is learning German.

💡Da

'Da' is another conjunction used to mean 'because,' similar to 'weil,' but is more formal and often used in written language. It also introduces a Nebensatz providing a reason. An example from the script is 'Da ich krank bin, kann ich nicht arbeiten,' where 'da ich krank bin' gives the reason for not being able to work.

💡Konjunktion

A 'Konjunktion' is a conjunction, a word that connects clauses or sentences. In the video, 'weil' and 'da' are key conjunctions used to link Hauptsatz and Nebensatz to explain reasons. Understanding conjunctions is essential for forming complex sentences in German.

💡Kausalsätze

Kausalsätze are causal clauses that provide a reason or cause for the action in the main clause. They are formed using 'weil' and 'da.' For example, 'Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet' is a Kausalsatz where the rain is the reason for staying at home.

💡Satzbau

Satzbau refers to sentence structure. The video teaches how to construct sentences using Hauptsatz and Nebensatz, focusing on how the verb placement changes in the presence of 'weil' and 'da.' For instance, in 'Ich kann nicht arbeiten, weil ich krank bin,' the verb 'bin' is placed at the end of the Nebensatz.

💡Verbposition

Verbposition refers to the position of the verb in a sentence. In German subordinate clauses introduced by 'weil' or 'da,' the verb goes to the end. This is highlighted in the video with examples like 'weil ich krank bin' where 'bin' is at the end of the clause.

💡Grund

'Grund' means 'reason' or 'cause.' The video repeatedly asks 'Warum?' to elicit a reason, which is then provided using a Kausalsatz with 'weil' or 'da.' For example, 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich eine deutsche Freundin habe' explains the reason for learning German.

💡Kommaregeln

Kommaregeln are the rules for using commas. In German, a comma is always placed between the Hauptsatz and Nebensatz. The video emphasizes this with examples like 'Ich kann nicht arbeiten, weil ich krank bin,' where the comma separates the two clauses.

Highlights

Introduction to lesson 4 on using causal sentences to give reasons in German.

Causal sentences are normal subordinate clauses that provide a reason or cause.

Causal sentences are formed using the conjunctions 'weil' and 'da'.

Example given: 'Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren will.' (I learn German because I want to study in Germany.)

Explanation of sentence structure with the main clause and subordinate clause.

Subordinate clause always begins with the conjunction 'weil' and ends with the verb.

Main clause begins with the verb and is separated from the subordinate clause by a comma.

Questions that prompt the use of causal sentences, such as 'Warum lernst du Deutsch?' (Why are you learning German?)

Example of a causal sentence with the conjunction 'da': 'Ich kann nicht arbeiten, da ich krank bin.' (I cannot work because I am sick.)

Difference between 'weil' and 'da' is that 'da' is more commonly used in spoken language.

Another example of a causal sentence: 'Ich bin spät, weil ich den Zug verpasst habe.' (I am late because I missed the train.)

The verb in the subordinate clause is always at the end.

Explanation of forming sentences with the main clause and subordinate clause using 'weil'.

How to form sentences with the conjunction 'da', starting with the subordinate clause.

The verb in the main clause of a causal sentence is at the beginning.

The difference between 'weil' and 'denn' in forming causal sentences.

Example of a causal sentence with 'denn': 'Martina antwortet nicht, denn sie ist sauer.' (Martina doesn't answer because she is angry.)

Instructions to complete sentences using causal conjunctions.

Encouragement for viewers to comment and engage with the video content.

Call to action for viewers to subscribe to the channel for more educational content.