ROADMAP · B1 · Understand familiar topics and express personal opinions

Konsekutivsätze: sodass und so … dass

B1Result clauses

Es regnete stark, sodass das Spiel ausfiel.

It rained heavily, so the match was cancelled.

EXPLANATION

Use sodass to show a result, and so … dass when an adjective or adverb is intensified. Both express consequence, but their word order is different.

sodass introduces a result clause: the first clause presents the cause or situation, and sodass gives the consequence. In this type of Nebensatz (subordinate clause), the conjugated verb goes to the end.

The pattern so … dass also expresses result, but it needs so before an adjective or adverb: so müde, so schnell, so teuer. Do not confuse it with deshalb/darum/daher: those are connectors in position 1, so the verb comes right after them. Also do not confuse result with purpose: damit means “in order that / so that” in the sense of a goal, not a result already happened or is happening.

STRUCTURE

so + adjective/adverb/degree word + dass + Nebensatz (verb at the end)

Use this pattern when so modifies a quality or degree.

Der Wind war so stark, dass die Fähre ausfiel.The wind was so strong that the ferry was cancelled.
Die Kinder machten so viel Lärm, dass der Nachbar klopfte.The children made so much noise that the neighbour knocked.
Sie war so nervös, dass sie kaum atmen konnte.She was so nervous that she could hardly breathe.

Hauptsatz + sodass + Nebensatz (verb at the end)

The result is presented as a full subordinate clause.

Es regnete stark, sodass das Konzert abgebrochen wurde.It rained heavily, so the concert was cancelled.
Der Zug hatte Verspätung, sodass wir den Termin verpassten.The train was late, so we missed the appointment.
Die Straße war glatt, sodass ich langsam fahren musste.The road was slippery, so I had to drive slowly.

Konnektor in position 1 + verb + subject …

These connectors link two main clauses, not a main clause and a Nebensatz.

Der Bus kam zu spät. Deshalb nahmen wir ein Taxi.The bus came too late. Therefore, we took a taxi.
Es war kalt. Darum blieb sie im Büro.It was cold. So she stayed in the office.
Die Kinder waren müde. Daher gingen sie früh ins Bett.The children were tired. Therefore, they went to bed early.

OVERVIEW

Forms and word order

Pattern	Type	Verb position	Meaning	Example
sodass	Nebensatz	am Ende	result	Es regnete, sodass wir blieben.
so … dass	Nebensatz	am Ende	result with emphasis on degree	Sie war so müde, dass sie schlief.
deshalb/darum/daher	Hauptsatz-Konnektor	position 1; the verb follows	result in a main clause	Es regnete. Deshalb blieben wir.
damit	Nebensatz	am Ende	purpose	Ich spreche leise, damit du mich hörst.

COMMON MISTAKES

Es war kalt, dass wir zu Hause blieben.
Es war so kalt, dass wir zu Hause blieben.
In the so … dass pattern, you need so before the adjective to express the degree. Without so, the clause with dass sounds incomplete and unnatural.
Es war sehr laut, deshalb ich konnte nicht schlafen.
Es war sehr laut, deshalb konnte ich nicht schlafen.
deshalb is a main-clause connector, so the verb must follow immediately. After deshalb, you cannot keep the verb at the end like in a Nebensatz.
Der Zug hatte Verspätung, damit wir den Anschluss verpassten.
Der Zug hatte Verspätung, sodass wir den Anschluss verpassten.
damit expresses purpose: someone does something in order to achieve a desired result. In this sentence there is no intentional action, only a natural consequence, so you need sodass.
Er hatte viel Arbeit, dass er bis Mitternacht blieb.
Er hatte so viel Arbeit, dass er bis Mitternacht blieb.
With quantity words like viel, the so … dass pattern still needs so before the quantity word. The sentence Er hatte viel Arbeit, dass … is missing so, so it is not grammatically correct.

USAGE NOTES

sodass is written as one word in standard German.
With so … dass, the adjective or adverb is often stressed by the meaning: so müde, so laut, so schnell.
deshalb/darum/daher are not subordinate clauses. They belong to the main clause, so word order stays like in a normal statement with inversion after the connector.
Do not use damit for a result that already happened. Use it when the action is done in order to achieve something.

Nebensätze mit dassClauses with dassA2 Wortstellung im HauptsatzWord order in main clausesA2 Finalsätze: um … zu und damitPurpose clausesB1 Konzessive Sätze: obwohl und trotzdemAlthough and neverthelessB1

Open in the Roadmap

EXPLANATION

STRUCTURE

OVERVIEW

COMMON MISTAKES

USAGE NOTES

RELATED