What is a "Dass-Clause"? ("dass–Sätze")
Dass-clauses are subordinate clauses that start with the German Conjunction "dass." Without the dass-clause the main clause doesn´t make sense.
- dass–clauses are Subordinate Clauses (Nebensätze). The verb is therefore at the end of the sentence.
- The Subordinate Clause with „dass“ describes a fact or action without which the main clause doesn´t make sense.
- It stands in place of other complements (grammatically necessary parts of sentences) that are required for the the sentence to make sense.
⇒ The main clause makes no sense without the subordinate clause with „dass“ and often stands in place of an accusative complement. That is why the „dass-clause“ is also called a complement sentence.
Verbs with "Dass-Clauses"
When something is known or believed:
- „Ich weiß, dass du gestern bei Maria warst!“
- „Ich bin mir sicher, dass du das besser kannst.“
- „Ich glaube, dass Mark in mich verliebt ist.“
Also: denken, meinen, vermuten, der Meinung sein, hoffen,…
For thoughts, feelings, opinions:
- „Ich finde, dass ihr mehr Deutsch lernen solltet.“
- „Ich finde es gut, dass ihr deutsches Fernsehen schaut.“
- „Es ist wichtig, dass du jeden Tag Deutsch lernst.“
- „Es tut mir leid, dass ich dich angeschrien habe.“
- „Ich freue mich, dass du die Prüfung bestanden hast.“
- „Ich habe Angst, dass du mich verlässt.“
For indirect speech = repeating what someone else said
- „Er sagt, dass er zu Hause sei.“
- „Sie haben geantwortet, dass sie bei Oma gewesen wären.
Dass-clauses are used when the speaker is relatively sure about what they're saying.
„dass“ or „ob“?
When the speaker isn't sure if it's true or not, „ob“ must be used:
- „Ich habe keine Ahnung, ob ich die Prüfung schaffen werde.“
- „Jan überprüft, ob er noch genug Geld auf dem Konto hat.“
More example of „dass“ and „ob“:
- „Er sagt, dass du gestern bei Oma warst.“ (sure)
- „Er sagt mir nicht, ob du gestern bei Oma warst.“ (not sure)
- „Ich weiß, dass du mich liebst.“ (sure)
- „Ich weiß nicht, ob du mich liebst.“ (unsure)
Word Order
Since they are subordinate clauses, the verb goes at the end:
Summary
- Dass-clauses / dass-Sätze start with "dass" and are needed for the main clause to make sense.
- Since they are subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb goes at the end.
- They are used for expressing feelings / opinions / judgments / thoughts / knowledge, as well as for indirect speech.
- A dass-clause expresses relative certainty about what the speaker is saying.
Uncertainty can be expressed with "ob."
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Related Topics:
„Dass - Sätze“ often stand in place of Akkusativ - Ergänzungen (Verbs with Accusative complements).
„Dass - Sätze“ are subordinate clauses. Subordinate clauses are introduced by the following Unterordnende Konjunktionen (Subordinating Conjunctions):
- „weil/da“- Kausalsätze (Causal Clauses)
- „obwohl“- Konzessivsätze (Concessive Clauses)
- „damit“- Finalsätze (Final Clauses)
- „wenn/falls“- Konditionalsätze (Conditional Clauses)
- „so dass“- Konsekutivsätze (Consecutive Clauses)
- „indem“- Modalsätze (Modal Clauses)
- „als/wenn“- Temporalsätze (Temporal Clauses)
- Temporal Konjunktionen (Temporal Conjunctions)
Subordinate Clauses include:
- Indirekte Fragen (Indirect Questions)
- Relativsätze (Relative Clauses)
- Infinitiv mit zu (Infinitive Clauses)
- „um/ohne/anstatt... zu...“-Infinitivkonstruktionen (Infinitive Construction)
More information on Sentence Structure and Word order: Satzbau
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