Purpose and consequence: damit, um... zu, sodass, deshalb
Say why you do something (um ... zu, damit, zum Lernen) and what follows from a fact (sodass, deshalb, also, folglich), and turn a cause into a consequence.
Connectors · Upper intermediate · 25 min · 40 exercises · Goethe B2, AP German, College
What do you do something for (purpose), and what follows from a fact (consequence)? These two questions are at the heart of every argument, every report and every cover letter. You already know um ... zu, weil and deshalb. This lesson puts them together with damit, sodass and a family of adverbs, and shows you how to turn a cause into a consequence and back.
Purpose: um ... zu or damit?
Both answer the question Wozu? (for what purpose?) and translate as in order to or so that. Use um ... zu + infinitive when the subject of both parts is the same: Ich lerne Deutsch, um in Wien zu studieren (I learn, I study). Use damit + a subordinate clause (verb at the end) when the subjects are different: Ich spreche langsam, damit die Gäste mich verstehen. Damit is possible with the same subject too, but um ... zu is shorter and preferred. The connector already expresses the intention, so a purpose clause never contains wollen or sollen: not damit er studieren will, but damit er studieren kann or simply damit er studiert.
Purpose
- Viele Unternehmen nutzen soziale Medien, um jüngere Kunden zu erreichen.Many companies use social media to reach younger customers.same subject: um ... zu
- Die Stadt baut neue Radwege, damit weniger Menschen mit dem Auto fahren.The city is building new bike lanes so that fewer people drive.two subjects: die Stadt, weniger Menschen
- Schreiben Sie bitte deutlich, damit man Ihre Antworten lesen kann.Please write clearly so that your answers can be read.können is common after damit; wollen and sollen are not
- Sie macht ein Praktikum im Ausland, um ihre Sprachkenntnisse zu verbessern.She is doing an internship abroad to improve her language skills.English to alone is not enough: um ... zu
- Um Energie zu sparen, schaltet die Firma nachts alle Geräte aus.To save energy, the company switches off all devices at night.the um ... zu clause can come first; the main clause then starts with its verb
- Wozu brauchst du den Laptop? Zum Arbeiten.What do you need the laptop for? For working.wozu asks about the purpose
Zum + infinitive as a noun, and wozu
A short purpose can be expressed with zum + an infinitive used as a noun (neuter, capitalized): Ich brauche Ruhe zum Lernen. Zum Kochen verwendet sie nur Olivenöl. An object is attached in front, in one word: zum Geldverdienen. This corresponds to English for + -ing. The question word for purpose is Wozu? (in everyday speech also Wofür?): Wozu dient diese Taste? Zum Speichern.
Consequence: sodass, so ... dass, and the adverbs
Sodass (also written so dass) introduces a subordinate clause that gives the result; this clause always comes second: Der Zug hatte Verspätung, sodass wir den Anschluss verpassten. If an adjective or adverb is intensified, so moves in front of it and dass opens the clause: Der Vortrag war so interessant, dass niemand auf die Uhr schaute. The adverbs deshalb, deswegen, daher, darum (that is why), also (so) and the formal folglich (consequently) begin a main clause and are followed by the verb (inversion): Es regnet, deshalb bleiben wir zu Hause. They can also stand in the middle field: Wir bleiben deshalb zu Hause.
Purpose, cause and consequence: type and word order
| Connector | Expresses | Type and word order | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| um ... zu | purpose, same subject | infinitive clause: zu + infinitive at the end | Er joggt, um fit zu bleiben. |
| damit | purpose, different subjects | subordinating: verb at the end | Er erklärt es noch einmal, damit alle es verstehen. |
| weil, da | cause | subordinating: verb at the end | Wir bleiben zu Hause, weil es regnet. |
| denn | cause | coordinating, position 0: subject + verb | Wir bleiben zu Hause, denn es regnet. |
| nämlich | cause, added afterwards | adverb, never first: after the verb | Wir bleiben zu Hause, es regnet nämlich. |
| deshalb, deswegen, daher, darum | consequence | adverb: position 1 + verb + subject | Es regnet, deshalb bleiben wir zu Hause. |
| also, folglich | consequence, conclusion | adverb: position 1 + verb + subject | Es regnet, also bleiben wir zu Hause. |
| sodass | consequence | subordinating: verb at the end | Es regnet, sodass wir zu Hause bleiben. |
| so + adjective, dass | consequence of a degree | so in the main clause; dass + verb at the end | Es regnet so stark, dass wir zu Hause bleiben. |
| zu + adjective, um ... zu | a degree that prevents the result | infinitive clause | Wir sind zu müde, um spazieren zu gehen. |
Consequence
- Die Nachfrage ist stark gestiegen, sodass die Firma neue Mitarbeiter einstellen musste.Demand rose sharply, so that the company had to hire new employees.sodass: verb at the end
- Das Thema ist so komplex, dass selbst Fachleute sich nicht einig sind.The topic is so complex that even experts do not agree.so before the adjective, dass after the comma
- Der Flug wurde gestrichen. Deswegen mussten wir eine Nacht in Zürich bleiben.The flight was canceled. That is why we had to stay a night in Zurich.deswegen in position 1: verb, then subject
- Die Daten sind unvollständig, folglich kann man noch keine sicheren Schlüsse ziehen.The data are incomplete; consequently, no firm conclusions can be drawn yet.folglich is formal, typical of reports
- Ich muss heute früher gehen, ich habe nämlich einen Arzttermin.I have to leave earlier today, because I have a doctor's appointment.nämlich stands after the verb, never in position 1
- Ich bin zu müde, um heute noch den Bericht zu schreiben.I am too tired to write the report today.zu + adjective, um ... zu: the result does not happen
Cause or consequence? Turning one into the other
Cause and consequence are two views of the same link. Weil, da and denn mark the cause; deshalb and its relatives mark the consequence. To switch, move the connector to the other clause and fix the word order: Sie bleibt zu Hause, weil sie krank ist. Sie ist krank, deshalb bleibt sie zu Hause. With deshalb the cause must be said first. Nämlich gives the cause as an afterthought; it never stands in position 1 but after the verb: Sie bleibt zu Hause, sie ist nämlich krank. Zu + adjective + um ... zu expresses a consequence that does not happen: Er ist zu müde, um weiterzuarbeiten (he is so tired that he cannot go on working).
cause
- weil, da: verb at the end
- denn: position 0
- Er bleibt zu Hause, weil er krank ist.
consequence
- deshalb, daher, also: verb follows
- sodass: verb at the end
- Er ist krank, deshalb bleibt er zu Hause.
Check the subjects before you choose: one subject, um ... zu; two subjects, damit. And check the direction before you choose between weil and deshalb: the clause with weil contains the reason, the clause with deshalb contains the result. A reliable test: if you can say that is why in English, you need deshalb, deswegen, daher or darum.
1. English so has two meanings. As so that (purpose) it is damit; as so, therefore (consequence) it is also or deshalb. And German also never means also (that is auch). 2. English expresses purpose with a simple to: I am learning German to work in Berlin. A bare zu is not enough in German: Ich lerne Deutsch, um in Berlin zu arbeiten. 3. After deshalb, deswegen, daher and darum the verb comes immediately: Deshalb bleibe ich, not Deshalb ich bleibe. 4. Never begin a clause with nämlich.
The exercises of this lesson
40 corrected exercises in three sessions (discovery, practice, challenge): multiple choice (5), fill in the gap (11), find the mistake (5), word order (1), rewrite (5), translation (6), gap text (3), matching (2), sorting (2). Every answer is corrected immediately, with the rule that applies.