German Coordinating Conjunctions

German coordinating conjunctions – also called nebenordnende Konjunktionen – are words that connect equal parts of a sentence, such as two nouns, phrases, or main clauses.

Unlike weil or dass, a coordinating conjunction keeps the verb in its usual second position.

German Coordinating Conjunctions: Meaning and Examples

What Are Coordinating Conjunctions (Nebenordnende Konjunktionen)?

In German grammar, coordinating conjunctions (nebenordnende Konjunktionen) are words that join equal grammatical units – two words, two phrases or two independent clauses.
They act like bridges between ideas that are grammatically on the same level.
Think of them as the glue holding two main clauses together without making one subordinate to the other.

Examples:

• Words: Peter und Maria → Peter and Maria

• Phrases: im Haus oder im Garten → in the house or in the garden

• Clauses: Ich lese, aber ich schreibe nicht. → I read, but I don’t write.

So if you can put a period between two clauses and each still makes sense, you’re dealing with a coordinating conjunction.

List of Coordinating Conjunctions

In German the main coordinating conjunctions are slightly fewer than in English, and they connect words, phrases or independent clauses of equal importance. The six core ones are: und, oder, aber, denn, sondern, doch, which every learner should know.

1. und – and

   • Function: Adds or combines equal parts.

   • Example: Ich spiele Gitarre und singe.
     → I play guitar and sing.

2. oder – or

   • Function: Offers a choice or alternative.

   • Example: Möchtest du Wasser oder Saft?
     → Do you want water or juice?

3. aber – but

   • Function: Expresses contrast or opposition.

   • Example: Er ist müde, aber zufrieden.
     → He is tired but content.

4. denn – because

   • Function: Explains a reason; keeps normal word order.

   • Example: Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn es regnet.
     → I’m staying home because it’s raining.

5. sondern – but rather

   • Function: Used only after a negation (nicht, kein, nie).

   • Example: Ich fahre nicht nach Berlin, sondern nach München.
     → I’m not going to Berlin, but rather Munich.

6. doch – yet / however

   • Function: Adds a contrast or mild contradiction.

   • Example: Er wollte nicht gehen, doch er musste.
     → He didn’t want to go, yet he had to.

Other Common Coordinating Conjunctions

• sowie – "as well as" (formal, often written)
  Beispiel: Brot sowie Butter sind auf dem Tisch.

• außer – "except" (usually followed by nouns)
  Beispiel: Niemand kam, außer Paul.

• beziehungsweise (bzw.) – "respectively / or rather"
  Beispiel: Peter bzw. Maria fährt morgen.

💡 Tip from EasyDeutsch:
If you can put a full stop before and after the conjunction, and both halves still make sense, you’re dealing with a coordinating one.

Word Order: What Coordinating Conjunctions Don’t Do

That’s what sets them apart from subordinating conjunctions (unterordnende Konjunktionen) like weil or dass, which push the finite verb to the end of the clause.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Another example:

• Ich rufe dich morgen an, und ich bringe Kuchen mit. ✅

Why This Matters

For English speakers this concept feels natural because English coordinating conjunctions (like and, but, or) also keep normal order.
However, in German, where verb placement carries more grammatical meaning, it’s crucial to remember that coordinating conjunctions never push verbs to the end.

👉 So, every time you use und, aber, denn, sondern or doch, check that your second clause still looks like a main clause: Subject + Verb + (rest).

Key Takeaways

• Coordinating conjunctions connect equals – no clause dominates the other.

• The verb never moves; the clause structure stays normal.

• They’re different from subordinating conjunctions (weil, dass, ob), which reorder the clause.

• The main six: und, oder, aber, denn, sondern, doch.

• You’ll also encounter sowie, außer and beziehungsweise in formal writing.

Punctuation Rules for German Coordinating Conjunctions

Getting commas right in German can be tricky – especially with conjunctions. The rules for coordinating conjunctions are simple once you know which ones always need a comma and which ones can skip it. Let’s break it down step by step.

1. "sondern" – Always Needs a Comma

A comma is mandatory before sondern, because it always introduces a new, independent clause that corrects or replaces the previous statement.

Rule:
➡️ Use comma + sondern after a negation word (nicht, kein, nie, ohne, etc.).

Example:

• ✅ Ich esse nicht Fleisch, sondern Gemüse.
  → I don’t eat meat, but rather vegetables.

• ✅ Er fährt nicht nach Berlin, sondern nach München.
  → He isn’t going to Berlin, but rather Munich.

2. "aber" – Usually Requires a Comma (with One Exception)

A comma before "aber" is usually needed when joining two full main clauses.
However, there’s one important exception – when aber is used as a modal particle (emotional emphasis) instead of a conjunction.

Rule 1: Comma + aber = joining two independent clauses

Er liest gern, aber er schreibt nie. ✅
→ He likes reading, but he never writes.

Both sides can stand as full sentences → comma required.

Rule 2: No comma when aber = emphatic particle

When aber expresses surprise, emphasis, or emotion — and doesn’t link two full clauses — no comma is needed.

Das ist aber schön! → That’s really nice!
Du bist aber groß geworden! → Wow, you’ve grown tall!

In these cases, aber modifies the tone, not the grammar.

Quick Note:
If you can replace aber with "but" and still have two sentences – use a comma.
If it’s more like "wow" or "really" – no comma.

3. "und", "oder", "sowie" – Optional Commas (Context-Dependent)

Commas before und, oder and sowie are usually omitted – but sometimes added for clarity or when joining full clauses.

Rules:

• No comma if connecting words or phrases.

• Comma optional if joining full sentences.

• Comma recommended when avoiding ambiguity.

Examples:

With "sowie" (formal):

Brot sowie Butter sind auf dem Tisch.
Usually no comma, but one may be used in long, complex lists for readability.

Meaning Contrasts: aber, sondern, doch, denn

Understanding the difference between these is essential for fluent writing.

1. aber – contrast (no negation required)

Use aber when showing contrast, without needing a negation.

Ich mag Kaffee, aber ich trinke lieber Tee.
→ I like coffee, but I prefer tea.

💡 No negation before aber.

2. sondern – correction After Negation

Use sondern after a negation (nicht, kein, nie, ohne). It replaces what was negated.

Structure: nicht/kein …, sondern …

Ich fahre nicht nach Berlin, sondern nach Hamburg.
→ I’m not going to Berlin, but rather Hamburg.

Wir essen keine Pizza, sondern Pasta.
→ We don’t eat pizza, but rather pasta.

3. denn – causal ("because")

denn means because, but it’s a coordinating conjunction, so it keeps normal word order.
Compare it with weil, a subordinating one.

4. doch – subtle Contradiction or "However"

doch expresses a contradiction, soft opposition, or unexpected turn.
It’s flexible – somewhere between aber and however in tone.

Ich wollte nicht gehen, doch ich musste.
→ I didn’t want to go, yet I had to.
Er sagt nein, doch er lächelt.
→ He says no, yet he smiles.

Register notes:

• doch sounds slightly more formal or literary than aber.

• Common in writing, speeches and narratives for smoother transitions.

Multi-Word / Correlative Conjunctions

These work in pairs and follow consistent structures.

Quick Reference Table: Comma + Conjunction Rules

Exercises & Self-Check

A. Fill in the blanks (choose correct conjunction)

1. Ich esse kein Fleisch, ___ Fisch.

2. Ich bin müde, ___ ich gehe zur Arbeit.

3. Ich bin müde, ___ ich will weiterarbeiten.

4. Wir kaufen Brot ___ Käse.

5. Ich gehe nicht ins Kino, ___ ins Theater.

6. Ich bleibe hier, ___ ich bin krank.

7. Er wollte nicht gehen, ___ er musste.

8. Ich mag Tee, ___ ich mag Kaffee auch.

9. Sie liest Bücher, ___ sie schaut keine Filme.

10. Wir fahren nach Berlin, ___ es ist günstig.

Answer key:

1. sondern 

2. aber 

3. aber 

4. und

5. sondern

6. denn

7. doch

8. aber

9. aber

10. denn

B. Sentence Rewrite

Replace the subordinating conjunction with a coordinating one and fix word order/punctuation.

1. Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet.
   Answer → Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn es regnet. ✅

2. Ich gehe nicht ins Kino, weil ich kein Geld habe.
   Answer → Ich gehe nicht ins Kino, sondern bleibe zu Hause. ✅

3. Ich gehe nach Hause, weil ich müde bin.
   Answer → Ich gehe nach Hause, denn ich bin müde. ✅

4. Ich fahre nicht nach Berlin, weil ich nach Hamburg fahre.
   Answer → Ich fahre nicht nach Berlin, sondern nach Hamburg. ✅

5. Er wollte gehen, obwohl er krank war.
   Answer → Er wollte gehen, aber er war krank. ✅

Summary

• sondern and denn → always need commas.

• aber → comma if joining full clauses; none when emotional particle.

• und / oder / sowie → usually no comma, optional for clarity.

• aber vs sondern vs doch vs denn → contrast, correction, nuance, reason.

• Correlative pairs → follow parallel structure; commas depend on clause completeness.

• Always check: Is each part a full clause? → If yes, use a comma.