Conjunctive adverbs and inversion

B1

Es regnet. Deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause. With conjunctive adverbs like deshalb, deswegen, trotzdem you connect sentences logically — and learn inversion, where verb and subject swap.

  • Conjunctional adverbs
  • Inversion after connective adverbs

Explanation

Conjunctive adverbs connect two main clauses. They give a reason, a consequence or a contrast: deshalb, deswegen, darum, daher, trotzdem, dann.

When they stand in position 1, the rule verb in position 2 applies: after the adverb the finite verb comes first, then the subject. This is called inversion: Es regnet. Deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause.

Compare the two positions: Ich komme später.Deshalb komme ich später. The subject ich moves behind the verb komme.

  1. Reason / consequencedeshalb, deswegen, darum, daher: Ich bin krank. Deswegen bleibe ich im Bett.
  2. Contrasttrotzdem: Es ist kalt. Trotzdem gehen wir spazieren.
  3. Time / consequencedann: Zuerst esse ich. Dann mache ich die Hausaufgaben.
AdverbMeaningExample (position 1 + verb + subject)
deshalbthereforeEs regnet. Deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause.
deswegenfor that reasonIch bin müde. Deswegen gehe ich früh ins Bett.
trotzdemneverthelessEs ist kalt. Trotzdem gehen wir spazieren.
dannthenZuerst essen wir. Dann machen wir die Aufgaben.

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