Learn Hardcore German: Die Kinder sind vermutlich schon im Bett, also sprechen wir leise. - The children are probably already in bed, so we speak quietly.

Die Kinder sind …, also sprechen wir leise. = “The children are …, so we speak quietly.” Near-synonyms: deshalb, daher, darum. For “in addition/too/also,” German uses auch.

Why is it sprechen wir and not wir sprechen after also?

Because also is a conjunctive adverb placed in the first position of the clause. German main clauses are verb-second (V2), so the finite verb must come next:

1st position: also
2nd position: sprechen
Then: wir leise

Can I say Wir sprechen also leise instead? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, that’s correct too. Meaning is the same; the difference is nuance and emphasis.

Also sprechen wir leise. Stronger “therefore” feel.
Wir sprechen also leise. More neutral, also sits mid-clause.

Why both vermutlich and schon? What do they add?

They do different jobs:

vermutlich = probably (speaker’s assumption).
schon = already (time). Together: “probably already.”

How is vermutlich different from wahrscheinlich, vielleicht, and wohl?

vermutlich ≈ “presumably/probably,” slightly inference-based.
wahrscheinlich = “probably/likely,” very common, similar strength to vermutlich.
vielleicht = “maybe/perhaps,” weaker certainty.
wohl (modal particle) = “apparently/one assumes,” very idiomatic: Die Kinder sind wohl schon im Bett.

Where do vermutlich and schon go? Could I say Die Kinder sind schon vermutlich im Bett?

Natural order is vermutlich (stance) before schon (time):

✅ Die Kinder sind vermutlich schon im Bett.
❌ Die Kinder sind schon vermutlich im Bett. (sounds odd) You can also front vermutlich: Vermutlich sind die Kinder schon im Bett.

Why im Bett and not ins Bett or zu Bett?

im Bett = “in bed” (location, no movement).
ins Bett (= in das Bett) = “into bed/to bed” (movement/direction).
zu Bett appears in the set phrase zu Bett gehen (“to go to bed”).

What case is Bett here, and what does im stand for?

Location with in takes the dative: in dem Bett (neuter dative).
im is the contraction of in dem: im Bett.

Why Die Kinder sind and not Die Kinder ist?

Kinder is plural, so the verb is plural: sie sind.
Singular would be Das Kind ist.

Is leise an adverb? Why no ending like -ly?

German often uses the same form for adjectives and adverbs. leise is:

Adjective: eine leise Stimme (“a quiet voice”)
Adverb: Wir sprechen leise (“We speak quietly”) No special adverb ending is needed.

Can I use ruhig or still instead of leise?

leise = quietly (low volume). Best choice with sprechen.
still = silent/quiet (absence of sound). Sei still! = “Be quiet!”
ruhig = calm(ly). ruhig sprechen means “speak calmly,” not necessarily quietly. Also as a particle, ruhig can mean “by all means”: Du kannst ruhig kommen.

Could I use reden or sagen instead of sprechen?

reden ≈ talk/speak; Wir reden leise is fine.
sagen = say (needs “what” is said). Wir sagen leise is odd unless you add an object: Wir sagen das leise.

Is the comma before also required?

Yes. You’re separating two main clauses, and also is a conjunctive adverb, not a coordinating conjunction. You could also use a semicolon or a period:

Die Kinder …; also sprechen wir …
Die Kinder …. Also sprechen wir …

Can I rewrite it with weil or da?

Yes; they make the first clause subordinate, and the verb in that clause goes to the end:

Weil die Kinder vermutlich schon im Bett sind, sprechen wir leise.
Da die Kinder vermutlich schon im Bett sind, sprechen wir leise.

Does also always cause inversion? What about Also, … at the start?

As a connector meaning “therefore” at clause start, yes: V2 inversion (Also sprechen wir …).
As a filler/discourse marker (Also, … = “Well, …”), it’s outside the clause and doesn’t trigger inversion in the following independent sentence: Also, wir sprechen leise.

Is there any difference between schon and bereits here?

Both mean “already.” bereits is more formal/written; schon is neutral and very common:

… sind bereits im Bett (formal)
… sind schon im Bett (everyday)

Any pronunciation pitfalls, e.g., schon vs schön?

Yes:

schon (“already”) has a plain long “o” sound.
schön (“beautiful”) has the rounded “ö” sound. Mixing them up changes the meaning.