Modal conjunctions as a subgroup of subordinate conjunction are concerned with the means or mode of wage sentence. Each example perform various functions and their usage can vary. One common thing is that they place the verb at the end of the sentence to form a “Nebensatz”. Learn more…
| Content in this post |
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| 1. What are modal conjunctions? 2. Examples of modal conjunctions 3. How the German modal conjunctions are used in English 4. Five different ways in which modal conjunctions function 5. Sentences with modal conjunctions |
Modal conjunctions are a group of subordinate conjunctions that form a type of subordinate-adverbial clause by trying to explain the means or purpose of the action in the main clause. They form clauses with either a conjugated verb or an infinite verb and respond to questions with “wie”, “wodurch” and “auf welche Art/Weise” which translates to “how”, “through what” and “on what type“ in English respectively. For example;
| German | English |
|---|---|
| indem dadurch, dass je… desto/umso wie als als ob wenn, als anstatt dass anstatt… zu ohne… zu ohne dass was außer wenn außer dass außer… zu soviel soweit als wie | when/ by when/ by the… the like than like/as if if as instead of instead of to without without what except when/ if except that except to as much as as far as when as |
The examples of modal subordinate conjunction are grouped into sub-categories based on five functions they perform in a sentence;
- Expressing a lack of circumstances
- Expressing a better potential
- Expressing a restriction
- Express comparison
- Express the means/purpose of doing something.
How do modal conjunctions express a lack of circumstance
This category expressly shows the insufficiency or the incapacity in a situation. Ohne… zu and Ohne dass are often used for such expressions. Sentence with these conjunctions can not be negated with nicht or kein because ohne already indicates the negative. Their translation in English is usually done with the literal translation of the preposition ohne excluding that of dass and zu, together with the present continuous form of the verb and everything else. Their translation would be in the order; without + verb + ing …
While ohne…zu is used with a non-conjugated verb as in zu + infinitive, ohne dass is used with a conjugated verb that must be placed at the end of the sentence. This is one major difference between both. Another difference is that the clause with ohne dass must have a subject (Nominativ) while ohne… zu can never. It can only have an object. This is because the subject in the main clause is the same with that in the subordinate clause. See the illustration below.
| Ohne dass | Ohne … zu |
|---|---|
| 1. Wo kann man Urlaub machen, ohne dass es so viel Geld ausgibt? (Where can one spend holiday without spending so much money?) | Wo kann man Urlaub machen, ohne es so viel Geld auszugeben? (Where can one spend holiday without spending so much money?) |
| 2. Ich möchte nach München reisen, ohne dass mein Auto fährt. (I would like to travel to Munich without driving my car.) | Ich möchte nach München reisen, ohne meinen Onkel zu besuchen. (I would like to travel to Munich without visiting my uncle.) |
How do modal conjunctions express a better potential?
These modal conjunctions are used to make substitutions for a previous scenario that is less preferred. The examples are (an)statt dass and (an)statt … zu. They are translated in English like ohne dass and ohne…zu except that the meaning is different where they both mean “instead of” and can be negated with nicht or kein. For example;
| (An)statt dass | (An)statt … zu |
|---|---|
| 1. Anstatt dass er mir einen Blumenstrauß kauft, hat er einen Kuchen gebacken. (instead of buying a bouquet of flower for me, he backed a cake). | Anstatt mir einen Blumenstrauß zu kaufen, hat er einen Kuchen gebacken. (instead of buying a bouquet of flower for me, he backed a cake). |
| 2. Das Kind spielt mit dem Apfel, anstatt dass es die Banana isst ( The child is playing with the apple instead of eating the banana) | Das Kind spielt mit dem Apfel, anstatt es die Banana zu essen. ( The child is playing with the apple instead of eating the banana) |
*Note that using anstatt as a modal conjunction is not the same as when used as a Genitiv preposition. The difference is that the former is used in a sentence with two subjects and two conjugated verbs while the latter can only be one subject and one conjugated verb and uses endings with masculine and neuter nouns. For example;
- Wir essen Brot anstatt des Reises (Genitiv preposition)– we are eating bread instead of rice
- Wir kaufen Brot, anstatt dass wir backen. (Modal conjunction)– we are buying bread instead of (us) baking
How do modal conjunctions express restrictions?
Some modal conjunctions are used to restrict the scope and potency in meaning of the main clause by a subjective opinion which has the ability to validate that meaning. Some of such modal subordinate conjunctions are; was, soviel, soweit, als, außer wenn, außer…zu, außer dass, wie etc.
| Usage (German) | Translation |
|---|---|
| 1. Sie hat keine Ahnung, bei welcher Firma er arbeitet. Soviel sie weiß, ist er Informatiker von Beruf. | 1. She has no idea what company he works for. As much as she knows he is a computer engineer by profession. |
| 2. Man sollte nicht beißen, was man nicht isst. | 2. One shouldn’t bite what one does not eat. |
| 3. Soweit ich gut kochen kann, habe ich niemals Hunger. | 3. As far as I can cook well, I am never hungry. |
| 4. Als mein Sohn ein Kind war, hat er so viel geweint. | 4. When my son was a child, he cried so much. |
| 5. Du gehst immer früh nach Hause, außer wenn deine Frau Urlaub macht. | 5. You always go home early, except when your wife is on holiday. |
| 6. Warum sagt ihr gar nicht, außer laut zu singen? | 6. Why don’t you say anything absolutely, except singing (to sing)? |
| 7. Wir haben nichts gesagt, außer dass wir fertig sind. | 7. We didn’t say anything, except that we are done. |
| 8. Wie Sie wissen, machen wir ab dem 24.06. für drei Wochen Ferien. | 8. As you know, we are going on three weeks break from the 24th of June |
How do modal subordinate conjunctions express comparison
Wie, als, als ob/ als wenn/ wie wenn and je…desto/umso as examples of this category are used to compare nouns of similar, dissimilar, unreal and proportional ration respectively. Learn more about comparison and measurement of nouns here.
| Usage (German) | Translation |
|---|---|
| 1. Dora sieht schön aus wie Marie. | 1. Dora looks like Marie |
| 2. Dora sieht schöner aus als Marie. | 2. Dora looks more beautiful than Marie. |
| 3. Sie spricht, als ob sie das Schönste ist. | 3. She speaks as if she is the most beautiful. |
| 4. Je mehr du Deutsch sprichst, desto besser verbesserst du. | 4. The more you speak deutsch, the better you improve. |
How do modal conjunctions express the means & purpose of doing something
These conjunctions distinctly state the means through which the goal of the main clause was achieved. Examples of such conjunctions are; indem and dadurch,dass. They are often used when responding to questions that were asked with “wodurch” and “auf welcher Art” etc.
| Usage (German) | Translation |
|---|---|
| 1. Man kann gut Deutsch sprechen, indem man einen Deutschkurs besucht. | 1. One can speak german well by attending a German course. |
| 2. Wir schützen die Umwelt dadurch, dass wir weniger Plastik benutzen. | 2. We protect the environment by using less plastic. |