Breakdown of Mein Partner macht die Radtour, es sei denn, dass es regnet.
es
it
machen
to make, to do
regnen
to rain
mein
my
der Partner
the partner (male)
dass
that
es sei denn
unless
die Radtour
the bike tour
Questions & Answers about Mein Partner macht die Radtour, es sei denn, dass es regnet.
Why is the verb 'regnet' at the very end of the sentence?
Because dass introduces a subordinate clause, which kicks the conjugated verb (regnet) to the end. If you drop dass, the phrase es sei denn acts like a coordinating conjunction, and you use normal main-clause word order: es sei denn, es regnet.
What does 'es sei denn' literally mean, and why is 'sei' used?
Literally, it means something like 'it be then'. The word sei is the Konjunktiv I (Subjunctive I) form of sein. You usually see Konjunktiv I in reported speech, but here it is used in a fixed, historical expression to mean 'unless'.
Could I start the sentence with the 'es sei denn' clause?
No. Unlike English, where you can say 'Unless it rains, my partner...', you cannot start a German sentence with es sei denn. It must always come after the main clause.
Can I use 'außer wenn' instead of 'es sei denn, dass' here?
Yes! außer wenn (except when) is a great alternative and means the same thing: Mein Partner macht die Radtour, außer wenn es regnet. Both are very common at the B2 level.
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