Ich trage warme Kleidung, weil es draußen kalt ist.

I wear warm clothes because it is cold outside.

Breakdown of Ich trage warme Kleidung, weil es draußen kalt ist.

• sein: to be
• draußen: outside
• ich: I
• weil: because
• es: it
• warm: warm
• kalt: cold
• tragen: to wear
• die Kleidung: the clothing

Questions & Answers about Ich trage warme Kleidung, weil es draußen kalt ist.

Why is the conjugated verb ist placed at the end of the clause “weil es draußen kalt ist”?

In German, subordinate clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (like weil, meaning “because”) require the conjugated verb to appear at the end of the clause. This is different from main clauses, where the verb typically occupies the second position.

Why is there a comma before weil in the sentence?

German punctuation rules mandate that subordinate clauses—which are often introduced by subordinating conjunctions like weil—be separated from the main clause by a comma. This punctuation marks the boundary between the two parts of the sentence.

What role does the conjunction weil serve in this sentence?

The word weil is a subordinating conjunction that introduces a clause explaining the reason behind the main action. In this case, it connects “Ich trage warme Kleidung” (“I wear warm clothes”) with “es draußen kalt ist” (“it is cold outside”), much like the English word “because.”

How is the verb tragen conjugated here, and why is it written as trage?

The base verb tragen means “to wear” or “to carry.” In this sentence, it is conjugated in the first person singular present tense as trage because the subject is “ich” (I). The conjugation aligns with standard German verb rules in the present tense.

Is the adjective warme correctly declined in the phrase “warme Kleidung”?

Yes, warme is correctly declined. Since Kleidung (clothing) is a feminine noun and there is no article present, the adjective follows the strong declension rules. In the accusative case for feminine nouns without an article, the adjective takes the ending -e, resulting in warme Kleidung.

What does the adverb draußen mean, and how is it used in this sentence?

The adverb draußen means “outside.” It describes the location related to the weather condition in the subordinate clause, indicating that the cold is experienced “outside.”

Can the sentence be restructured by placing the subordinate clause at the beginning, and what change does that cause in the word order?

Yes, you can reposition the subordinate clause at the beginning. If you begin with “Weil es draußen kalt ist,” the sentence becomes: Weil es draußen kalt ist, trage ich warme Kleidung. In this construction, the subordinate clause still requires the conjugated verb to be at the end, while in the main clause the verb moves to the second position, following the rules of German sentence structure.