Qualifying Statements
When trying out a new diet or health habit, things are rarely 100% perfect. You often want to express that a routine is good "insofar as" or "to the extent that" it achieves a specific result.
Insofar As: insofern ... als
To restrict the scope of a statement, German splits the phrase "insofar as" into two parts: insofern and als.
You will place insofern in the main clause, often right before the adjective you are qualifying (such as gut or positiv). Then, you start the dependent clause with a comma followed by als.
Because als acts as a subordinating conjunction here, it kicks the conjugated verb to the very end of the dependent clause.
| I find the diet good insofar as it is helpful. | Ich finde die Diät insofern gut, als sie hilfreich ist. |
| The effect is positive insofar as we have more energy. | Die Wirkung ist insofern positiv, als wir mehr Energie haben. |
An Alternative: insoweit ... als
You can also use insoweit instead of insofern. They mean the exact same thing and follow the exact same word order rules.
| The new concept is good insofar as it is easy on the body. | Das neue Konzept ist insoweit gut, als es den Körper schont. |
| I am satisfied insofar as my sleep is getting better. | Ich bin insoweit zufrieden, als mein Schlaf besser wird. |
Discussing Health and Habits
These restrictive clauses are perfect for evaluating the nuances of your physical well-being. Whether you are analyzing a habit's effect on your body (der Körper) or your sleep (der Schlaf), you can use these structures to weigh the positives and negatives.
| The habit is negative insofar as one eats too little protein. | Die Gewohnheit ist insofern negativ, als man zu wenig Protein isst. |
| This method is helpful insofar as it reduces negative thoughts. | Diese Methode ist insofern hilfreich, als sie negative Gedanken reduziert. |