Breakdown of Die Wirkung ist insofern positiv, als wir mehr Energie haben.
sein
to be
haben
to have
wir
we
mehr
more
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
die Energie
the energy
insofern
insofar
als
as (in 'insofern ... als')
die Wirkung
the effect
positiv
positive
Questions & Answers about Die Wirkung ist insofern positiv, als wir mehr Energie haben.
Why are insofern and als separated by a comma and the word positiv?
The phrase insofern ... als is a two-part connector meaning "insofar as" or "in that." The word insofern sits in the main clause and modifies positiv, setting up a restriction. The word als then kicks off a subordinate clause to explain that restriction, pushing its conjugated verb haben to the very end.
Can I keep insofern and als together instead of splitting them up?
Yes, you can use insofern als as a single compound conjunction to start the subordinate clause. If you do that, the main clause stands on its own: Die Wirkung ist positiv, insofern als wir mehr Energie haben. Both structures mean exactly the same thing.
I usually translate als as "when" or "than." How does it translate here?
In this specific grammatical structure, it means neither. While you know als from past-tense events ("when") or comparisons ("than"), here it is strictly the second half of the insofern ... als pairing. You can just think of it as the "as" in the English phrase "insofar as".
Could I use insoweit instead of insofern in this sentence?
Absolutely. The words insofern and insoweit are virtually identical in meaning and usage. You could easily say Die Wirkung ist insoweit positiv, als wir mehr Energie haben without changing the meaning or tone of the sentence at all.
Learn Die Wirkung ist insofern positiv, als wir mehr Energie haben and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free