Breakdown of Der Ausdruck ist nämlich sehr wichtig.
sein
to be
sehr
very
wichtig
important
nämlich
you see
der Ausdruck
the expression
Questions & Answers about Der Ausdruck ist nämlich sehr wichtig.
Why is nämlich translated as "you see" instead of "namely"?
While nämlich can mean "namely" when listing things, it is very commonly used in everyday German to give a reason for a previous statement. Here it acts like "you see" or "because," explaining why the previous thought matters.
Why doesn't nämlich send the verb to the end of the sentence like weil (because) does?
Because nämlich is an adverb, not a subordinating conjunction. Words like weil introduce dependent clauses and move the verb to the very end. nämlich just sits inside a normal main clause and doesn't change the standard verb placement.
Can I put nämlich at the very beginning of the sentence to mean "Because..."?
No, you should avoid starting a sentence with nämlich. Unlike "because" in English, it almost always drops in right after the conjugated verb (in this case, ist) or slightly later in the middle of the sentence.
Does Ausdruck refer to a facial expression or a spoken phrase?
It can mean both! Just like the English word "expression," Ausdruck works for a phrase you say as well as a look on someone's face. It is directly related to the separable verb ausdrücken (to express).
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