Special Phrases and Word Order by Edward Swick, M.A.
In general, there are not many complications with German word order. One exception is the placement of an infinitive at the end of sentence that has a modal auxiliary. Many conjunctions also signal a word order change.
Using Dass and Ob
The conjunctions dass (that) and ob (whether/if) require the conjugated verb in the clause that follows them to be the last element. These conjunctions are used frequently with an important verb: wissen (to know). Here are this verb's present and past tense conjugations.
THE VERB WISSEN
Present |
Past |
ich weiß [vice] |
wusste [VOOS teh] |
du weißt [vysst] |
wusstest [VOOS test] |
er, sie, es weiß [vice] |
wusste [VOOS teh] |
wir wissen [VISS en] |
wussten [VOOS ten] |
ihr wisst [visst] |
wusstet [VOOS tet] |
Sie wissen [VISS en] |
wussten [VOOS ten] |
sie wissen [VISS en] |
wussten [VOOS ten] |
<B>Alert!</B></h2>
<p>Don't confuse <B>wissen</B> and <B>kennen</B>. They both mean “to know.” However, <B>wissen</B> means having knowledge and kennen means being acquainted with someone, for example: <B>Ich weiß, wo er wohnt</B>. (I know where he lives.) <B>Ich kenne die junge Frau</B>. (I know the young woman.)</p>
</div>
<div class="npsb">
<p>I know.<remark/> <B>Ich weiß.</B><remark/> eech vice</p>
<p>I don't know.<remark/> <B>Ich weiß (es) nicht.</B><remark/> ecch vice ess nihcht</p>
<p>As far as I know.<remark/> <B>Soviel ich weiß.</B><remark/> zoe feel eech vice</p>
<p>You always know better.<remark/> <B>Sie wissen immer alles besser.</B><remark/> zee VISS en IM muh ULL ess BESS uh</p>
<p>How should a person know that?<remark/> <B>Woher soll man das wissen?</B><remark/> VOE hare zawl munn duss VISS en</p>
<p>You never know!<remark/> <B>Man kann nie wissen.</B><remark/> munn kahn nee VISS en</p>
<p>I don't know anything about it.<remark/> <B>Ich weiß von nichts.</B><remark/> eech vice fawn nihchts</p>
</div>
<p><B><B>WISEN</B></B></p>
<table frame="all" width="100%">
<h2>
<tgroup cols="2">
<colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/>
<colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><p>to know</p></td>
<entry/>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>about<markup role="dot"/></p></td>
<td><p><B>wissen von</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<entry/>
<td><p>VISS en fawn</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>to know how to</p></td>
<entry/>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>behave<markup role="dot"/></p></td>
<entry/>
</tr>
<tr>
<entry/>
<td><p><B>sich zu benehmen wissen</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<entry/>
<td><p>zeech tsoo beh NAME en VISS en</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
<p>When <B>wissen</B> is used with the conjunctions <B>dass</B> and <B>ob</B>, the conjugated verb appears at the end of the sentence.</p>
<div class="npsb">
<p>I know that<remark/> <markup role="dot"/><remark/> <B>Ich weiß, dass <markup role="dot"/></B><remark/> eech vice duss</p>
</div>
<p><B><B>ICH WEIS, DASS</B> …</B></p>
<div class="npsb">
<p><markup role="dot"/>the hotel isn't far from here<remark/> <B><markup role="dot"/>das Hotel nicht weit von hier entfernt ist</B><remark/> duss HOE tell nihcht vite fawn heer ent FAIRNT ist</p>
<p><markup role="dot"/>his brother is well again<remark/> <markup role="dot"/><B>sein Bruder wieder gesund ist</B><remark/> zine BROO duh VEE duh gheh ZOONT ist</p>
<p><markup role="dot"/>I need more money<B><remark/> <markup role="dot"/>ich mehr Geld brauche</B><remark/> eech mare ghelt BROW cheh</p>
<p><markup role="dot"/>she bought a blouse<remark/> <B><markup role="dot"/>sie eine Bluse kaufte</B><remark/> zee INE eh BLOOZE eh KOWF the</p>
<p>Do you know whether (if) <markup role="dot"/><remark/> <B>Wissen Sie, ob <markup role="dot"/></B><remark/> VISS en zee awp</p>
</div>
<p><B><B>WISS EN SIE, OB</B> …</B></p>
<div class="npsb">
<p><markup role="dot"/>the inn is still open?<B><remark/> <markup role="dot"/>der Gasthof noch offen ist?</B><remark/> dare GAHST hofe nawch AW fen ist</p>
<p><markup role="dot"/>this street goes to city hall?<B><remark/> <markup role="dot"/>diese Straße zum Rathaus führt?</B><remark/> DEEZ eh SHTRAH seh tsoom RAHT house fuert</p>
<p><markup role="dot"/>they have my luggage?<B><remark/> <markup role="dot"/>sie mein Gepäck haben?</B><remark/> zee mine gheh PECK HAH ben</p>
<p><markup role="dot"/>service is included?<B><remark/> <markup role="dot"/>die Bedienung inbegriffen ist?</B><remark/> dee beh DEEN oong in beh GRIFF en ist</p>
</div>
<p>You can even use interrogative words like <B>wann, wo,</B> and <B>wie</B> as conjunctions that require the same word order.</p>
<div class="npsb">
<p>Do you know when the next train will arrive?<B><remark/> Weißt du, wann der nächste Zug kommt?</B><remark/> vysst doo vunn dare NAYX teh tsook kawmt</p>
<p>I don't know where Mr. Keller lives.<remark/> <B>Ich weiß nicht, wo Herr Keller wohnt.</B><remark/> ecch vice nihcht voe hare KELL uh voent</p>
<p>Do you know how you get to the airport?<remark/> <B>Wissen Sie, wie man zum Flughafen kommt?</B><remark/> VISS en zee vee munn tsoom FLOOK hah fen kawmt</p>
</div>
<div class="npsb">
<title> <B>Question?</B></h2>
<p><B>How do I know when a verb will be the last element in a clause?</B></p>
<p>All conjunctions like <B>dass</B> and ob and interrogatives like <B>wann</B> and wo require the verb to be the last element in a clause. There are four exceptions to that rule: <B>aber</B> (but), <B>denn</B> (because), <B>oder</B> (or), and <B>und</B> (and).</p>
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