Breakdown of Die Kosten sinken, wenn wir Energie sparen.
wir
we
wenn
when
sparen
to save
die Energie
the energy
die Kosten
the costs
sinken
to decrease
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Questions & Answers about Die Kosten sinken, wenn wir Energie sparen.
Why is there a comma before wenn?
In German, every subordinate clause is set off by a comma. Wenn introduces a subordinate clause, so you must write ..., wenn ... with a comma.
Why is sparen at the end of wenn wir Energie sparen?
Because in subordinate clauses introduced by wenn, the conjugated verb goes to the end. This is the standard verb-final word order for subordinate clauses.
Can I start the sentence with the wenn-clause?
Yes. Wenn wir Energie sparen, sinken die Kosten. When you front the subordinate clause, the following main clause keeps verb-second order, so the verb sinken comes right after the comma.
Does wenn mean “if” or “when” here?
It can mean either “if” (conditional) or “when(ever)” (repeated/habitual). Context decides. For a purely hypothetical condition, falls is also possible; for a one-time past event, use als.
Why sinken and not senken?
Sinken is intransitive: something decreases on its own (no agent). Senken is transitive: someone/something lowers something. Compare: Die Kosten sinken. vs. Wir senken die Kosten.
Can I say Die Kosten fallen?
Yes. Fallen is common with prices and costs; sinken is slightly more neutral/formal. Other options include gehen zurück, nehmen ab, or the transitive reduzieren/ verringern.
What case and number is die Kosten?
Nominative plural; it’s the subject of the main clause. The article die here is the plural definite article, and the verb agrees in the plural: sinken (not sinkt).
Is Kosten always plural?
Almost always. It’s a plural-only noun in this meaning. Don’t confuse it with die Kost (singular), which means “fare/food.”
What case is Energie here, and why is there no article?
Accusative; it’s the direct object of sparen. No article is used because Energie is an uncountable mass noun used in a generic sense. With an article you’d refer to specific energy: Wir sparen die Energie der Batterien.
What gender is Energie, and does it have a plural?
Feminine: die Energie. A plural Energien exists but is rare outside technical or abstract contexts.
Could I use weil instead of wenn?
Yes, but it changes the meaning from condition to cause: Die Kosten sinken, weil wir Energie sparen. That states the reason rather than a condition.
Why does the verb come right after the comma in ..., sinken die Kosten when the wenn-clause is first?
German main clauses are verb-second. The entire wenn-clause counts as position 1, so the finite verb sinken must occupy position 2, immediately after the comma.
Do I need the future tense here?
No. German normally uses the present for general truths and for conditional statements: Die Kosten sinken, wenn ... The future with werden is used when you want to emphasize a specific future time: Die Kosten werden sinken, wenn die neuen Maßnahmen greifen.
Can I use man instead of wir?
Yes: Wenn man Energie spart, sinken die Kosten. Man means “one/people/you in general” and keeps the statement impersonal.
What’s the difference between sparen, speichern, and retten for “save”?
- sparen: to economize/save resources or money (Energie sparen, Geld sparen).
- speichern: to store (data/energy) (Daten/Energie speichern).
- retten: to rescue (a person/thing) (ein Leben retten).
How do I talk about the past with sinken?
Preterite: Die Kosten sanken. Perfect: Die Kosten sind gesunken. Note the auxiliary is sein, not haben.
Why not wann?
Wann is used for direct/indirect questions about time (Wann kommen sie?, Ich weiß nicht, wann sie kommen.). In conditional or habitual statements you use wenn, not wann.