What is the difference between coordinating and subordinating conjunctions in German?

Coordinating conjunctions like und, aber, oder, denn, sondern connect two main clauses and do not change word order. Subordinating conjunctions like weil, dass, wenn, ob send the verb to the end of the clause.

Why does the verb move to the end after words like 'weil'?

Because weil introduces a subordinate clause ( Nebensatz ). In German, subordinate clauses place the conjugated verb at the end, so you say: Ich arbeite, weil ich Geld brauche.

Can I start a German sentence with 'Und'?

Yes, you can. Starting with Und is perfectly natural in German, especially in spoken or stylistic writing, as in: Und dann bin ich gegangen.

Conjunctions (Konjunktionen) — The Glue 🥣🔗

Conjunctions are connecting words (und, oder, weil, dass). Some simply link two sentences without disrupting the grammar (coordinating), while others (subordinating) fundamentally change the sentence structure by sending the conjugated verb to the very end.

Infographic showing how Conjunctions (Konjunktionen) connect German sentences and affect word order.

Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or sentences.
"I like cats and dogs."
"I eat because I am hungry."

In German, conjunctions are critical because they affect Word Order.

1. Coordinating (Position 0) 🛤️

These connect two main sentences equally. They do NOT count as a position.
(ADUSO Rule).

Und (and)
Aber (but)
Oder (or)
Denn (because)
Sondern (but rather)

[Ich bin müde], aber [ich arbeite].

2. Subordinating (The Kickers) ⚽

These start a "Side Sentence" (Nebensatz) and kick the verb to the END.

Weil (because)
Dass (that)
Wenn (if/when)
Ob (whether)

[Ich arbeite], weil [ich Geld brauche]. (Note: brauche is at the end!)

3. Two-Part Connectors (The Twins) 👯

These come in pairs.

Entweder ... oder (Either ... or)
Sowohl ... als auch (Both ... and)

👉 Deep Dive: Master the rules in the Structure Category.

4. Spoken German Hacks 🗣️

In reality, Germans sometimes break the rules.
With weil (because), you will often hear people staring a new Main Clause (Verb at Position 2).

Ich komme nicht, weil... ich bin müde. (Pause after weil).
Correct grammar: ...weil ich müde bin.
Use the correct version in writing!

5. Starting a Sentence

Can you start a sentence with "Und"? YES!
It's perfectly fine stylistically.

Und dann bin ich gegangen. (And then I left).