Position 0 and oder (or)
To connect two independent sentences, German uses coordinating conjunctions. When you join sentences with these words, the word order in both sentences stays exactly the same.
The conjunction sits between the two clauses in what is called Position 0. It is "invisible" to the standard verb position rules. Because it occupies Position 0, the next word (usually the subject) takes Position 1, and the conjugated verb safely lands in its required Position 2.
Use the conjunction oder (or) to present alternatives. Notice how the subject (wir) and the verb (bleiben) keep their standard positions right after oder:
| We are flying to Spain, or we are staying here. | Wir fliegen nach Spanien, oder wir bleiben hier. |
Giving Reasons with denn (because)
Use denn (because) to explain why something is happening. It connects two complete main clauses. In German, you must always place a comma before denn.
| The man is not reading, because he is tired. | Der Mann liest nicht, denn er ist müde. |
| I eat a lot of fruit, because it is healthy. | Ich esse viel Obst, denn es ist gesund. |
Showing Contrast with aber (but)
Use aber to show a contrast or exception. Just like denn, it acts as a Position-0 conjunction and requires a comma before it when connecting two complete sentences.
| This computer is cheap, but it works well. | Dieser Computer ist billig, aber er funktioniert gut. |
| The room is dark, but the living room is bright. | Das Zimmer ist dunkel, aber das Wohnzimmer ist hell. |
Adding Information with und (and)
The conjunction und connects ideas by adding information. When connecting two complete sentences with und (or oder), a comma is technically optional, but it is sometimes used for clarity to separate the two independent clauses.
| The weather is bad, and it is raining outside. | Das Wetter ist schlecht, und es regnet draußen. |
| The apple is healthy and it is cheap. | Der Apfel ist gesund und er ist billig. |
