Brottin

TOPIC · Sentence structure & conjunctions

das oder dass Satz

A2B1

After this lesson you can reliably decide whether a sentence needs **das** or **dass**.

In this lesson you learn when to write das and when to write dass. They sound the same but have different grammar functions.

Overview

  • das: article, demonstrative pronoun or relative pronoun
  • dass: subordinating conjunction (Subjunktion) that introduces a Nebensatz

Very useful trick: always try to replace das with dieses, jenes or welches.

  • If that works → you need das.
  • If it doesn’t work → you usually need dass.

1das as definite article

das is the definite article for neuter singular nouns.

ExampleMeaning
das Buchthe book
das Kindthe child
das Autothe car
das Fensterthe window

Typical position: directly before the noun.

Test with dieses/jenes/welches:

  • das Buch → dieses Buch (works → das is correct)

2das as demonstrative pronoun

As a demonstrative pronoun, das points to something specific.

ExampleMeaning
Das ist Peter.That is Peter.
Ist das dein Hund?Is that your dog?
Ich habe das nicht gemacht.I didn’t do that.

Test:

  • Das ist Peter. → Dieses ist Peter. (grammatically possible → so das)

3das as relative pronoun

das can introduce a Relativsatz (relative clause). It usually refers back to a neuter noun before it.

ExampleMeaning
Das ist das Buch, das ich lese.That is the book (which) I am reading.
Das ist das Auto, das ich gekauft habe.That is the car (that) I bought.

Often in real language you will also see der, die, das as relative pronouns; for this lesson we focus on the form das.

Test with welches:

  • das Buch, das ich lese → das Buch, welches ich lese (works → das)

4dass as subordinating conjunction

dass introduces a Nebensatz (subordinate clause). In this Nebensatz, the conjugated verb stands at the end.

ExampleMeaning
Ich glaube, dass es regnen wird.I think that it will rain.
Er sagt, dass er müde ist.He says that he is tired.
Es ist wichtig, dass du das verstehst.It is important that you understand that.

Test with dieses/jenes/welches:

  • Ich glaube, dass es regnen wird. → Ich glaube, dieses es regnen wird. (impossible → so dass)

5Decision help: das or dass

  1. Can you replace das with dieses/jenes/welches?
    • Yes → write das.
    • No → probably dass.
  2. Does it start a Nebensatz with the verb at the end?
    • Yes → write dass.

Example with both forms:

Das ist das Auto, das ich gekauft habe, weil ich wusste, dass es zuverlässig ist.

  • first Das: demonstrative pronoun (Dieses ist das Auto …)
  • second das: article (das Auto)
  • third das: relative pronoun (welches ich gekauft habe)
  • dass: Subjunktion introducing the Nebensatz

If you practise the dieses/jenes/welches test, you will quickly avoid mistakes with das and dass.