Conjunctive adverbs (deshalb, trotzdem)
B1 Konjunktionaladverbien (deshalb, trotzdem) 44 / 52
In short
Conjunctive adverbs (deshalb, trotzdem, dann, sonst…) join two main clauses by meaning, but grammatically they are adverbs. When one starts a clause, it fills position 1, so the conjugated verb stays in position 2 and the subject moves behind it (inversion): Es regnet, deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause.
The rule
A conjunctive adverb (Konjunktionaladverb) expresses a logical relationship - reason, contrast, sequence, condition - between two main clauses. Unlike a coordinating conjunction (und, aber, denn), it is a full sentence element and counts as position 1 in the German V2 clause. So the verb is still second, and the subject follows the verb:
Es ist spät, deshalb gehe ich jetzt. (verb 2nd, subject after it)
Compare three ways to link clauses - this is the contrast worth drilling:
| Connector type | Example word | Position | Effect on word order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coordinating conjunction (lesson 17) | und, aber, denn, oder | Position 0 (outside) | No change: subject - verb |
| Conjunctive adverb (this lesson) | deshalb, trotzdem, dann | Position 1 (Vorfeld) | Inversion: verb - subject |
| Subordinating conjunction (lesson 28) | weil, obwohl, wenn | Introduces a subclause | Verb goes to the end |
The same idea three ways:
- Es regnet, aber ich gehe spazieren. (und/aber = pos. 0, no inversion)
- Es regnet, trotzdem gehe ich spazieren. (adverb = pos. 1, inversion)
- Ich gehe spazieren, obwohl es regnet. (weil/obwohl = verb to the end)
A conjunctive adverb does not have to start the clause. It can also sit in the middle field, after the verb - then the subject comes first as usual:
Ich bleibe deshalb zu Hause. / Ich gehe trotzdem spazieren.
Punctuation: the two main clauses are separated by a comma (or a full stop). The adverb itself takes no extra comma.
Forms & patterns
Conjunctive adverbs do not decline - learn them by meaning group:
| Meaning / Bedeutung | Adverbs | English |
|---|---|---|
| Reason -> consequence | deshalb, deswegen, daher, darum, also, somit | therefore, so |
| Contrast / concession | trotzdem, dennoch, jedoch, allerdings | nevertheless, however |
| Two-sided contrast | zwar … aber | admittedly … but |
| Time / sequence | dann, danach, vorher, anschließend, schließlich | then, afterwards, finally |
| Addition | außerdem, zudem, ferner | besides, in addition |
| Condition (negative) | sonst, andernfalls | otherwise |
Word-order frame (Vorfeld = position 1, conjugated verb = position 2):
| Vorfeld (Pos. 1) | Verb (Pos. 2) | Subjekt | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deshalb | bleibe | ich | heute zu Hause. |
| Trotzdem | kommt | er | mit. |
| Dann | gehen | wir | ins Kino. |
Note zwar … aber: zwar is the conjunctive adverb - in position 1 it forces inversion (Zwar ist er müde, …), but it just as often sits in the middle field, as below - while aber is a normal coordinating conjunction in the second clause:
Er ist zwar müde, aber er arbeitet weiter.
Examples
| Deutsch | English |
|---|---|
| Es regnet, deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause. | It’s raining, so I’m staying home. |
| Ich habe verschlafen, darum komme ich zu spät. | I overslept, that’s why I’m coming late. |
| Das Wetter ist schlecht. Trotzdem gehen wir wandern. | The weather is bad. We’re going hiking anyway. |
| Lern fleißig, sonst bestehst du die Prüfung nicht. | Study hard, otherwise you won’t pass the exam. |
| Wir essen zuerst, danach schauen wir einen Film. | We’ll eat first, then we’ll watch a film. |
| Das Hotel ist teuer; außerdem ist es weit weg. | The hotel is expensive; besides, it’s far away. |
| Er hat wenig Zeit, dennoch hilft er mir. | He has little time, yet he helps me. |
| Ich bleibe deshalb zu Hause. | That’s why I’m staying home. (adverb in the middle field) |
Common mistakes
- deshalb ich bleibe zu Hause -> deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause - position 1 forces inversion; the verb must be second.
- Es regnet, deshalb, ich gehe nicht -> Es regnet, deshalb gehe ich nicht - deshalb is not a comma-fenced filler; it is part of the clause and triggers V2.
- …, deshalb ich zu Hause bleibe -> deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause - it is not subordinating like weil, so the verb does not go to the end.
- Trotzdem es regnet, gehe ich raus -> Es regnet, trotzdem gehe ich raus (or use obwohl es regnet) - trotzdem links main clauses; the subclause word is obwohl.
- Ich bin müde und trotzdem ich arbeite -> …, trotzdem arbeite ich or … und arbeite trotzdem weiter - don’t stack und + adverb-inversion incorrectly.
Tips
- Memory hook: a conjunctive adverb “eats” the first slot, so the verb sits in slot 2 - subject gets bumped behind it.
- Quick test: can the word move into the middle field (Ich bleibe deshalb zu Hause)? If yes, it’s an adverb (V2), not a conjunction.
- Don’t confuse trotzdem (adverb, main clause, inversion) with obwohl (subordinator, verb to the end). Same meaning, opposite grammar.
- deshalb / deswegen / daher / darum are interchangeable for “therefore”; also often signals a conclusion (“so, hence”).