Ich esse Brot, dann trinke ich Wasser.

to drink

Breakdown of Ich esse Brot, dann trinke ich Wasser.

• das Wasser: the water
• essen: to eat
• das Brot: the bread

Questions & Answers about Ich esse Brot, dann trinke ich Wasser.

Why is there a comma between the two clauses instead of a conjunction like und or a period?

German allows you to join two main clauses without a coordinating conjunction by placing a comma between them. This differs from English, which usually needs a conjunction (or a semicolon). You could also use a period, but the comma keeps the actions closely connected in one flowing sentence.

Could I say Ich esse Brot und trinke Wasser instead?

Yes. Ich esse Brot und trinke Wasser means “I eat bread and drink water,” linking the actions neutrally with und. Using dann with a comma (Ich esse Brot, dann trinke ich Wasser) highlights the sequence more clearly—first one action, then the next.

Why is ich repeated in the second clause?

When two main clauses are separated by a comma (without und), each clause needs its own subject. Only with a conjunction like und can you drop the repeated subject:
 Ich esse Brot und trinke Wasser.
But Ich esse Brot, dann trinke ich Wasser treats each clause as independent, so ich must appear again.

Why is dann placed at the beginning of the second clause?

German main clauses follow the “verb-second” (V2) rule: one element (topic, adverb, etc.) can come first, then the finite verb, then the subject. By fronting dann (“then”), you emphasize the temporal sequence. The clause reads Dann trinke ich Wasser. If you left ich first, you’d say Ich trinke dann Wasser, which is also correct but less focused on the timing.