Learn Hardcore German: Im Kreisverkehr verliere ich leicht die Übersicht, also fahre ich langsam. - In the roundabout I easily lose my orientation, so I drive slowly.

im is the contraction of in dem, which takes the dative case to express location (“wo?”). Here you’re in the roundabout when you lose overview. ins (in das) is accusative, used for movement into something (“wohin?”), e.g. ins Haus fahren (drive into the house).

Why does verliere come before ich in the first clause?

German main clauses follow the V2 rule (verb-second). Since Im Kreisverkehr occupies the first slot, the finite verb verliere must be the second element, pushing ich into the third position.

What is the function of leicht in verliere ich leicht die Übersicht, and why is it placed there?

leicht is an adverb meaning easily, describing how you lose the overview. In German, manner adverbs typically appear directly before the verb or between the verb and its object, so leicht precedes verliere (and comes just before the object).

Why is there a definite article die before Übersicht?

die Übersicht refers to the specific overview of the traffic situation in the roundabout. In German, even abstract or collective notions often take a definite article when you speak of a particular instance.

How does also function in this sentence, and why is there a comma before it?

Here also is a conjunctive adverb meaning so/therefore, introducing the consequence of losing overview. Conjunctive adverbs always require a comma when they link two main clauses in German.

Why does fahre precede ich in the second clause?

Because also is in first position of this main clause, the finite verb fahre must come next (V2 rule), and the subject ich follows in third position.

Why is langsam used here and not langsamer?

langsam is the base-form adverb meaning slowly. German adverbs stay uninflected in comparative contexts unless you explicitly want slower (which would be langsamer). Here you simply state how you drive: slowly.