Breakdown of Sobald es regnet, bleibe ich im Haus.
das Haus
the house
ich
I
es
it
bleiben
to stay
regnen
to rain
im
in the; (masculine or neuter)
sobald
as soon as
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Questions & Answers about Sobald es regnet, bleibe ich im Haus.
What does sobald mean in this sentence?
Sobald translates to "as soon as" in English. It indicates that one event happens immediately after another begins.
Why does the subordinate clause "Sobald es regnet" have the verb regnet at the end?
In German subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb is placed at the end. This rule applies here, so regnet appears at the end of the clause.
Why is there a comma after "Sobald es regnet"?
German punctuation rules require that subordinate clauses be separated from main clauses by a comma. This comma clarifies the structure of the sentence.
Why does the main clause "bleibe ich im Haus" have the subject ich after the verb bleibe?
When a subordinate clause comes at the beginning of a sentence, the main clause follows the verb-second (V2) rule. Because the subordinate clause occupies the first position, the conjugated verb in the main clause comes next, which pushes the subject ich to the position after the verb.
Why is im Haus used instead of writing in dem Haus?
Im is a contraction of in dem, which is commonly used in everyday German to mean "in the". This contraction is both natural and stylistically preferred in informal and formal contexts.
What tense is used in both parts of the sentence?
Both the subordinate clause "Sobald es regnet" and the main clause "bleibe ich im Haus" use the present tense. Even if the sentence refers to a future condition, German often employs the present tense in such contexts.