German conjugation explanation

Compound verb forms in dependent clauses

<p>When a compound verb form is used in a <strong>dependent (or subordinate) clause</strong>, the main verb form (the conjugated auxiliary verb) moves to the end of the clause. Dependent clauses can't stand alone, they always depend on the main clause. Dependent clauses can be introduced by:</p>

<ul>

<li>a subjunction (<strong style="font-style: italic;">als, bis, dass, obwohl, solange, während, weil, wenn</strong>, etc.):

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Er öffnete die Tür, <span class="in_word_highlight">obwohl</span> ich ihm <span class="green_emphasis">gesagt habe</span>, es nicht zu tun. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He opened the door, though I told him not to.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Das passiert öfter, <span class="in_word_highlight">als</span> man <span class="green_emphasis">meinen würde</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">This happens more often than you might think.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>an indirect question word (<strong style="font-style: italic;">was, wann, warum, wer, wie</strong>, etc.):

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Wirst du mir zeigen, <span class="in_word_highlight">was</span> du <span class="green_emphasis">gekauft hast</span>? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Will you show me what you bought?</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ich frage mich, <span class="in_word_highlight">warum</span> du mir so etwas <span class="green_emphasis">sagen würdest</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I wonder why you would say something like that to me.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>a relative pronoun (<strong style="font-style: italic;">der, den, mit dem</strong>, etc.):

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Du bist es, <span class="in_word_highlight">den</span> ich immer <span class="green_emphasis">lieben werde</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">It's you I'll always love.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Das ist nicht das Ergebnis, <span class="in_word_highlight">mit dem</span> sie <span class="green_emphasis">gerechnet hatte</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">That's not the result they had expected.</span>)</div>

</li>

</li>

<li>the subordinating conjunction <strong style="font-style: italic;">wenn</strong> (in conditional clauses):

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Vielleicht wäre es besser, <span class="in_word_highlight">wenn</span> ich dich <span class="green_emphasis">vergessen würde</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Perhaps it would be better if I forgot you.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Was würde passieren, <span class="in_word_highlight">wenn</span> wir das <span class="green_emphasis">tun würden</span>? (<span style="font-style: italic;">What would happen if we did that?</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>