Breakdown of Weder mag ich das Muster, noch ist die Seide weich.
ich
I
sein
to be
mögen
to like
weich
soft
weder
neither
weder ... noch
nor
die Seide
the silk
das Muster
the pattern
Questions & Answers about Weder mag ich das Muster, noch ist die Seide weich.
Why is the verb before the subject in both parts of the sentence (mag ich and ist die Seide)?
In this sentence, weder and noch take up the first slot (Position 1) in their respective clauses. Because German main clauses require the conjugated verb in Position 2, the verbs (mag and ist) come next, pushing the subjects (ich and die Seide) to Position 3. This swapping of subject and verb is called inversion.
Do I always have to use a comma with weder ... noch?
You need a comma here because weder and noch are connecting two complete main clauses, meaning each half has its own subject and conjugated verb. If they were just connecting two nouns in a single sentence—like Ich mag weder das Muster noch die Seide (I like neither the pattern nor the silk)—you would not use a comma.
Could I start the sentence with ich instead of weder?
Yes, you can start with the subject. The first clause would then be Ich mag weder das Muster, keeping the verb in Position 2. The second clause typically stays the same: noch ist die Seide weich, with noch acting as Position 1.
Why isn't there a nicht or kein in this sentence to make it negative?
The two-part conjunction weder ... noch (neither ... nor) already has a built-in negative meaning. Just like in English, adding another negative word like nicht would create an incorrect double negative.
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