Learn Hardcore German: Es ist mir wichtig, dass du dich bei meiner Feier wohlfühlst. - It is important to me that you feel comfortable at my party.

Es ist mir wichtig translates as “It is important to me.” In German, adjectives like wichtig are often used with a dative pronoun to indicate for whom something is important. Here, mir (dative of ich) shows that the importance is directed toward the speaker.

Why is the subordinate clause introduced by dass structured differently than the main clause?

The clause dass du dich bei meiner Feier wohlfühlst is a subordinate (dependent) clause. In German, subordinate clauses introduced by words like dass require the conjugated verb—in this case, wohlfühlst—to be placed at the end of the clause. This contrasts with the main clause, where the verb appears earlier in the sentence.

Why is dich used in dass du dich bei meiner Feier wohlfühlst, and what does this tell us about the verb?

The verb wohlfühlen is reflexive, which means the subject also receives the action. Since the subject is du, the correct reflexive pronoun is dich (the accusative form corresponding to du). This shows that the sentence means “that you feel comfortable”, with the comfort being both an action and an experience of the subject.

What does the phrase bei meiner Feier imply, and why is the preposition bei used?

Bei meiner Feier means “at my party.” The preposition bei is used in German to indicate location or the setting for an event. In this sentence, it specifies where you are expected to feel comfortable—the context of the party organized by the speaker.

How does the word order in the subordinate clause illustrate typical German syntax rules?

In German subordinate clauses, introduced by conjunctions like dass, the finite verb is customarily placed at the end of the clause. Here, even though du is the subject and dich the reflexive pronoun, the verb wohlfühlst comes at the very end, which is a clear example of German subordinate clause structure.

What tense is used in this sentence and why is the present tense appropriate for conveying this message?

Both the main clause (Es ist mir wichtig) and the subordinate clause (dass du dich bei meiner Feier wohlfühlst) are in the present tense. The present tense is used to express a current state or belief. In this case, it communicates that it is currently important to the speaker that you feel comfortable at the party.