Breakdown of Das Thema ist sehr aktuell, deshalb planen wir das Interview.
sein
to be
sehr
very
wir
we
planen
to plan
deshalb
therefore / that is why
das Thema
the topic
aktuell
current
das Interview
the interview
Questions & Answers about Das Thema ist sehr aktuell, deshalb planen wir das Interview.
Wait, doesn't aktuell mean "actual"?
No, aktuell is a "false friend." It means "current," "up-to-date," or "topical." If you want to say "actual" or "actually" in German, you would use words like eigentlich or tatsächlich.
Why is the word order deshalb planen wir and not deshalb wir planen?
Deshalb (therefore / that's why) is an adverb. When you start a clause with deshalb, it takes up the first position. Because the verb must always be in position 2 in a main clause, planen comes immediately next, pushing the subject wir to position 3.
Since we are learning about verb-final word order, would using weil (because) change the verb position here?
Yes! Weil is a subordinating conjunction, which kicks the verb to the very end of the clause (just like the indirect W-questions in this lesson). If you flipped the sentence to use weil, it would be: Wir planen das Interview, weil das Thema sehr aktuell ist. Notice how ist goes to the end, whereas deshalb keeps the verb in position 2 (...deshalb planen wir...).
Could I use darum or deswegen instead of deshalb in this sentence?
Yes! Deshalb, darum, and deswegen all mean "therefore" or "that's why." They are completely interchangeable here and all trigger the exact same word order, with the verb coming immediately after them.
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