Giving Strong Reasons with zumal
When writing a critical restaurant review, you often need to justify your opinion with a specific, strong reason. The conjunction zumal (especially since / particularly because) is perfect for adding emphasis to your arguments.
Because zumal is a subordinating conjunction, it introduces a dependent clause. This means you must always place a comma before it, and it pushes the conjugated verb to the very end of the sentence.
| The guest is writing a review, especially since the waiting time is extreme. | Der Gast schreibt eine Bewertung, zumal die Wartezeit extrem ist. |
| We criticize the restaurant, especially since the main course is expensive. | Wir kritisieren das Restaurant, zumal die Hauptspeise teuer ist. |
Commenting on a Situation with was
When leaving a review, you may also want to comment on a situation as a whole rather than a specific noun. You can use the relative pronoun was (which) to refer back to the entire preceding main clause. Just like zumal, was introduces a dependent clause and sends the conjugated verb to the end.
| However, many criticize this review, which surprises me. | Allerdings kritisieren viele diese Bewertung, was mich überrascht. |
| The portion is so tiny, which makes the waiting guest angry! | Die Portion ist so winzig, was den wartenden Gast wütend macht! |
Describing Terrible Food
As you build your arguments, you can stack your complaints. Pair strong descriptive adjectives—like zäh (tough) or ungenießbar (inedible)—with a zumal clause to explain exactly what ruined the meal.
| The fish is inedible, especially since it is completely oversalted. | Der Fisch ist ungenießbar, zumal er völlig versalzen ist. |
| I am not paying the bill, especially since the meat is tough and dry. | Ich bezahle die Rechnung nicht, zumal das Fleisch zäh und trocken ist. |