Learn Hardcore German: Der Wind draußen ist stark, darum bleiben wir drinnen. - The wind outside is strong, therefore we stay inside.

Wind is a masculine noun in German. As the subject of the sentence, it appears in the nominative case, which requires the definite article der for masculine nouns.
• Masculine nominative: der Wind
• Feminine nominative would be die, neuter das, plural die.

What does draußen mean, and why is it placed right after Wind?

draußen is an adverb of place meaning “outside.” In German word order, adverbs of place typically follow the subject (here der Wind) and precede the verb or other elements. The basic order you see is: Subject (der Wind) → Adverb of place (draußen) → Verb (ist).

Why is there a comma before darum, and what kind of word is darum?

darum is a conjunctive adverb (also called a sentence adverb or linking adverb). It expresses “therefore” or “for that reason” and connects two main clauses. In German, when you join two independent clauses with a conjunctive adverb like darum, deshalb, or deswegen, you must separate them with a comma: Clause 1, darum Clause 2.

In the second clause, why does the sentence go bleiben wir drinnen instead of wir bleiben drinnen?

In German main clauses, the finite verb must occupy the second position. Since darum counts as the first element, the verb bleiben moves to the “second slot,” and the subject wir follows it: 1st position: darum
2nd position (finite verb): bleiben
then subject: wir.

Why doesn’t the sentence use weil to link the clauses?

Weil is a subordinating conjunction, not a conjunctive adverb. It introduces a subordinate clause that pushes the finite verb to the end. Example:
• With darum (main + main): “Der Wind draußen ist stark, darum bleiben wir drinnen.”
• With weil (main + subordinate): “Der Wind draußen ist stark, weil wir drinnen bleiben.”
Or more naturally: “Wir bleiben drinnen, weil der Wind draußen stark ist.” (Note how ist goes to the end in the weil‑clause.)

Could I use deshalb or deswegen instead of darum?

Yes. deshalb, deswegen, and darum are synonymous causal adverbs. They all mean “therefore”/“that’s why” and behave the same regarding comma placement and verb-second inversion: • “Der Wind draußen ist stark, deshalb bleiben wir drinnen.”
• “Der Wind draußen ist stark, deswegen bleiben wir drinnen.”

Why is the adjective stark used to describe the wind? Are there alternatives?

stark simply means “strong.” It’s the most common neutral adjective for any strong force (wind, rain, coffee, etc.). You can choose alternatives for nuance:
• heftig (violent, intense)
• kräftig (powerful)
• stürmisch (stormy)

What’s the difference between drinnen, innen, and im Inneren?

• drinnen: a basic adverb meaning “inside” (in contrast to draußen).
• innen: also “inside,” but often used in more formal or attributive contexts (“an der Wand innen” – “on the inner side of the wall”).
• im Inneren: a noun phrase “in the interior,” often used in more abstract or descriptive contexts (“Im Inneren des Hauses ist es warm” – “Inside the house, it’s warm”).
In your sentence, the simple adverb drinnen is the most natural choice.