Guide
German Word Order With Obwohl and Trotzdem
Learn why obwohl sends the verb to the end, why trotzdem keeps the verb in position 2, and how deshalb and deswegen follow the same main-clause pattern.
B1 Atlas · Updated
Obwohl and trotzdem can express the same contrast, but they do not build the same kind of clause.
Compare these two examples:
Obwohl die Maschine kaputt ist, schaffen wir die Lieferung.
Die Maschine ist kaputt. Trotzdem schaffen wir die Lieferung.
The message is almost the same. The verb position is not.
- obwohl starts a subordinate clause and sends the finite verb to the end;
- trotzdem can take position 1 in a main clause, so the finite verb follows in position 2.
Put the connectors into two columns before you build the sentence.
The two connector columns
Group the connectors by the word order they control.
| Connector column | Words | What happens to the finite verb? |
|---|---|---|
| subordinate-clause column | obwohl, weil, dass, wenn, als | the verb moves to the end of the clause |
| main-clause adverb column | trotzdem, deshalb, deswegen, außerdem, allerdings, jedoch | the connector can take position 1; the verb stays in position 2 |
This is the useful decision. Do not start by translating “although” or “nevertheless.” Choose the connector, identify its column, then place the verb.
Build a sentence with obwohl
Start with the contrast:
Die Maschine ist kaputt. Wir schaffen die Lieferung.
Use obwohl to turn the first idea into a subordinate clause:
Obwohl die Maschine kaputt ist, schaffen wir die Lieferung.
Inside the obwohl-clause, ist moves to the end. The complete opening clause fills the first position of the full sentence. After the comma, the main clause therefore begins with schaffen before the subject wir.
Check the sentence in two parts:
| Opening subordinate clause | Following main clause |
|---|---|
| Obwohl die Maschine kaputt ist, | schaffen wir die Lieferung. |
The same pattern appears with a different adjective:
Obwohl die Maschine alt ist, schaffen wir die Lieferung.
Find the finite verb at the end of the opening clause before you check anything else.
Build the contrast with trotzdem
With trotzdem, keep two main clauses:
Die Maschine ist kaputt. Trotzdem schaffen wir die Lieferung.
In the second sentence, trotzdem fills position 1. The finite verb schaffen follows immediately in position 2. The subject wir comes after the verb.
| Position 1 | Position 2 | The rest |
|---|---|---|
| Trotzdem | schaffen | wir die Lieferung. |
This is the same position-2 habit used when a time, place, or object comes first. The connector changes the first element, not the main-clause rule.
Weil and deshalb use the same split
The two columns also help with reasons and consequences.
Use weil to introduce the reason:
Wir rufen den Kunden an, weil die Maschine kaputt ist.
Use deshalb to introduce the consequence:
Die Maschine ist kaputt. Deshalb rufen wir den Kunden an.
The contrast is mechanical:
| Connector | Job | Verb position |
|---|---|---|
| weil | introduces the reason | ist closes the subordinate clause |
| deshalb | introduces the consequence | rufen follows the connector in position 2 |
Deswegen is the exact twin of deshalb. It has the same core meaning and follows the same main-clause word order.
Two common word-order mistakes
The connector cannot borrow the other column’s pattern.
✗ Trotzdem wir schaffen es.
✓ Die Maschine ist kaputt. Trotzdem schaffen wir die Lieferung.
And obwohl cannot keep ordinary main-clause order inside its clause:
✗ Obwohl die Maschine ist kaputt.
✓ Obwohl die Maschine kaputt ist, schaffen wir die Lieferung.
Use a short check: obwohl means verb at the end; trotzdem means connector first, finite verb next.
A four-item check
Complete or rebuild each sentence before looking at the answers.
- ___ die Maschine kaputt ist, schaffen wir die Lieferung. (obwohl · trotzdem)
- Die Maschine ist kaputt. ___ schaffen wir die Lieferung. (obwohl · trotzdem)
- Rebuild: obwohl · die Maschine · kaputt · ist · arbeiten · wir · länger
- Die Lieferung ist spät. ___ entscheiden wir uns für einen neuen Termin. (deshalb · weil)
Answers:
- Obwohl die Maschine kaputt ist, schaffen wir die Lieferung.
- Die Maschine ist kaputt. Trotzdem schaffen wir die Lieferung.
- Obwohl die Maschine kaputt ist, arbeiten wir länger.
- Die Lieferung ist spät. Deshalb entscheiden wir uns für einen neuen Termin.
Check only the finite verb first. In items 1 and 3, it closes the obwohl-clause. In items 2 and 4, it follows the connector in position 2.
What to learn next
The German word-order guide with weil and dass shows the subordinate-clause column with modal and Perfekt verb chains. The position-1 word-order guide explains why the subject moves behind the verb when another element comes first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between obwohl and trotzdem?
Both can express a contrast. Obwohl starts a subordinate clause and sends its finite verb to the end. Trotzdem can take position 1 in a main clause, so the finite verb follows in position 2.
Where does the verb go after obwohl?
Put the finite verb at the end of the obwohl-clause: Obwohl die Maschine kaputt ist, schaffen wir die Lieferung.
Where does the verb go after trotzdem?
Trotzdem can fill position 1, so the finite verb comes directly after it: Die Maschine ist kaputt. Trotzdem schaffen wir die Lieferung.
Do deshalb and deswegen use the same German word order?
Yes. Both are adverbs. They can fill position 1 while the finite verb stays in position 2. They also have the same core meaning.