Word
Wenn das Essen fertig ist, rufe ich meinen Bruder an und bringe ihm sein Lieblingsgericht mit.
Meaning
When the meal is ready, I call my brother and bring him his favorite dish.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
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Questions & Answers about Wenn das Essen fertig ist, rufe ich meinen Bruder an und bringe ihm sein Lieblingsgericht mit.
Why is the conjugated verb ist at the end of Wenn das Essen fertig ist?
In German subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like wenn, you must use verb‑final word order. That means the conjugated verb (ist) goes to the very end of the clause, after its subject (das Essen) and predicate adjective (fertig).
Do I have to include dann after the comma in Wenn …, like Wenn das Essen fertig ist, dann rufe ich …?
No, dann (“then”) is optional. German often drops it because the time clause already implies the sequence. You can say
- Wenn das Essen fertig ist, rufe ich meinen Bruder an.
or - Wenn das Essen fertig ist, dann rufe ich …
Both are correct; the second simply adds a bit more emphasis.
Why does rufe come before ich in rufe ich meinen Bruder an?
After a fronted element (here the entire Wenn‑clause), the main clause still follows the V2 (verb‑second) rule. The subordinate clause occupies position 1, so in the main clause the finite verb (rufe) must come next, followed by the subject (ich).
What is a separable verb, and why do an and mit move to the end in rufe … an and ?