Word
Wir planen langfristig, damit die Kosten sinken.
Meaning
We plan long-term so that costs decrease.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Wir planen langfristig, damit die Kosten sinken.
wir
we
planen
to plan
damit
so that
langfristig
long-term
die Kosten
the costs
sinken
to decrease
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Questions & Answers about Wir planen langfristig, damit die Kosten sinken.
What does damit mean here, and how is it different from deshalb?
- damit introduces a subordinate clause of purpose: “so that / in order that.” It expresses intention: We plan in such a way with the aim that costs go down.
- deshalb is a sentence adverb meaning “therefore/that’s why” and expresses a result, not a purpose. It starts a new main clause and triggers inversion.
- Compare:
- Wir planen langfristig, damit die Kosten sinken. (purpose)
- Wir planen langfristig; deshalb sinken die Kosten. (result)
Can I use um ... zu instead of damit here?
- Not with the verb sinken, because um ... zu requires the subject of both clauses to be the same.
- In the original, the main-clause subject is wir, but in the subordinate clause the subject is die Kosten.
- If you switch to a transitive verb and keep the same subject, it works: Wir planen langfristig, um die Kosten zu senken.
What’s the difference between sinken and senken?
- sinken is intransitive: something goes down by itself. Example: Die Kosten sinken.
- senken is transitive: someone lowers something. Example: Wir senken die Kosten.
- So your sentence correctly uses sinken because the costs are the thing that goes down.
Could I use sodass instead of damit?
- sodass (recommended spelling; so dass also accepted) expresses a result/consequence, often unintended or simply observed.
- damit expresses an intended goal.
- Both are grammatical, but nuance differs:
- …, damit die Kosten sinken. (we aim for the costs to go down)
- …, sodass die Kosten sinken. (as a result, the costs go down)
Why is the verb sinken at the end of the clause?
- In subordinate clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions like damit, the finite verb goes to the end: … damit [Subject] [Rest] [Verb-final].
- Hence: … damit die Kosten sinken.
Is the comma before damit mandatory?
Yes. A comma is required before a subordinate clause introduced by damit. If you front the subordinate clause, you also keep a comma:
- Damit die Kosten sinken, planen wir langfristig.
Can I put the damit-clause first?
Yes: Damit die Kosten sinken, planen wir langfristig.
- This is a common way to emphasize the goal first; the grammar and meaning stay the same.
Where can I place langfristig in the sentence?
- Neutral: Wir planen langfristig, …
- Fronted for emphasis: Langfristig planen wir, …
- You cannot place it between subject and finite verb: ❌ Wir langfristig planen, … (violates verb-second rule)
- Alternatives: Wir planen auf lange Sicht / auf Dauer / langfristig gesehen, …
Does langfristig need an ending here (like langfristige)?
- No. Here it’s an adverb modifying planen, so it stays langfristig (no ending).
- As an adjective before a noun, it takes endings: eine langfristige Planung, langfristige Ziele.
Why is it die Kosten and why is the verb plural?
- Kosten is a plural-only noun in German (no singular), so it always takes the article die and a plural verb: die Kosten sinken.
- You can’t say die Kost sinkt.
Should I use the future tense (werden) anywhere?
- Not necessary. German often uses the present for future meaning, especially in subordinate clauses: …, damit die Kosten sinken.
- You could say Wir werden langfristig planen, … to stress a future decision, but … damit die Kosten sinken werden is uncommon; simple present is preferred.
How do I tell damit (conjunction) from damit (“with that”)?
- Conjunction damit is followed by a full clause with verb-final order: …, damit die Kosten sinken.
- Pronominal adverb damit = “with that/it” stands alone in the clause: Wir rechnen damit. / Ich arbeite damit.
Is there a nuance difference between damit die Kosten sinken and damit die Kosten nicht steigen?
- … damit die Kosten sinken aims at an actual reduction.
- … damit die Kosten nicht steigen aims at preventing an increase (holding them steady). Choose based on your intended meaning.
Can I say …, damit wir die Kosten reduzieren/senken?
Yes. That shifts from an intransitive outcome to an action you perform:
- Wir planen langfristig, damit wir die Kosten senken/reduzieren.
- Slight nuance: this emphasizes your agency in lowering costs, rather than the costs going down on their own.
Are other verbs like fallen or runtergehen okay with Kosten?
- The safest, most standard choice is Kosten sinken.
- Preise fallen is very common; Kosten fallen can be ambiguous because Kosten fallen an means “costs accrue.”
- runtergehen is colloquial; avoid it in formal contexts.
What are good synonyms for langfristig?
- auf lange Sicht, auf Dauer, mittelfristig (medium-term), dauerhaft (lasting), nachhaltig (sustainable, if that’s the idea).
- Example: Wir planen auf lange Sicht, damit die Kosten sinken.