……
Breakdown of Wir beenden die Besprechung pünktlich, damit alle zur Bahn kommen.
kommen
to come
wir
we
damit
so that
pünktlich
on time
die Besprechung
the meeting
zur
to the; (feminine, dative)
alle
everyone
beenden
to finish
die Bahn
the train
Questions & Answers about Wir beenden die Besprechung pünktlich, damit alle zur Bahn kommen.
Why is it beenden and not enden?
Because beenden is transitive (you end something), while enden is intransitive (something ends by itself).
- Wir beenden die Besprechung. = We end the meeting.
- Die Besprechung endet. = The meeting ends. The prefix be- often makes verbs transitive (compare enden → beenden, antworten → beantworten).
Could I also say “Die Besprechung endet pünktlich …”?
Yes. That shifts the subject from “we” to “the meeting”:
- Wir beenden die Besprechung pünktlich … (we actively end it)
- Die Besprechung endet pünktlich … (it ends on its own, or as scheduled) Both are correct; choose based on focus and agency.
What’s the difference between pünktlich and rechtzeitig?
- pünktlich = on the dot, at the scheduled time.
- rechtzeitig = in time/early enough for something. In your sentence, “pünktlich” implies the planned end time already allows catching the train. If you want to emphasize “early enough,” use rechtzeitig: Wir beenden … rechtzeitig, damit …
What does damit do here? Why not um … zu?
damit introduces a purpose clause (so that/in order that) and is used when the subject of the purpose is different from the main clause’s subject. Here, main clause subject = wir, purpose clause subject = alle, so damit is right. Use um … zu only when the subject is the same: Wir beenden …, um pünktlich zur Bahn zu kommen. (i.e., we ourselves)
Why is there a comma before damit, and why is kommen at the end?
damit is a subordinating conjunction; German requires a comma before such clauses, and the finite verb goes to the end of the subordinate clause: …, damit alle zur Bahn kommen. If you front the clause: Damit alle zur Bahn kommen, beenden wir … (main clause then inverts: “beenden wir”).
What exactly does zur Bahn mean—train, station, or the railway company?
Literally “to the railway/train service.” In everyday speech it can mean “to where you catch the train.” More precise options:
- zum Bahnhof = to the train station (location)
- zum Zug = to the (specific) train If the idea is “catch the train,” many prefer: … damit alle ihren Zug erreichen/erwischen.
Why zur and not zu der or zum?
zur is the standard contraction of zu der (dative feminine). Bahn is feminine: die Bahn → der Bahn (dative). With masculine/neuter nouns you’d use zum (zu dem): zum Bahnhof (Bahnhof is masculine).
Why is it alle and not allen?
Because alle is the subject of the subordinate clause, so it’s nominative plural. allen is dative and would be used with verbs that take the dative (e.g., helfen): … damit allen geholfen wird.
Do we need können (… damit alle zur Bahn kommen können)?
Not required. damit already expresses purpose. Adding können stresses ability/possibility: “… so that everyone can manage to get to the train.” Both are correct:
- … damit alle zur Bahn kommen.
- … damit alle zur Bahn kommen können. (slightly more explicit)
Is the present tense wir beenden talking about the future?
Yes. German often uses the present for scheduled or near-future events. Wir beenden … here means “We’ll finish …”. Wir werden … beenden is also possible but less common in such contexts.
Can I replace damit with sodass/so dass or weil?
- sodass (so dass) = so that/as a result (consequence), not purpose. It would mean the punctual ending results in everyone making the train, not that this is the intention.
- weil = because (reason), not suitable for expressing purpose. For intention, stick with damit (or um … zu with same subject).
Could I start with the damit clause?
Yes: Damit alle zur Bahn kommen, beenden wir die Besprechung pünktlich. Subordinate clause first, then the main clause with verb–subject inversion.
Why kommen and not gehen?
gehen focuses on the act of going (on foot). kommen (zur Bahn) emphasizes arriving/making it there, which fits the goal of catching a train. If you mean physically walking there, gehen is fine; if the point is successfully reaching it, kommen is better.
Is alle capitalized?
No. alle here is a pronoun and stays lowercase (except at the start of a sentence). German generally capitalizes nouns, not pronouns (apart from formal Sie).
Any more natural alternatives for the last part?
Common, precise options:
- … damit alle ihren Zug rechtzeitig erreichen/erwischen.
- … damit alle rechtzeitig zum Bahnhof kommen. These make the goal (catching a specific train or getting to the station) explicit.
Is there a difference between beenden, aufhören (mit), and abschließen?
- beenden: neutral/official “to end/finish” something (transitive).
- aufhören (mit etwas): “to stop (doing something),” more colloquial.
- abschließen: “to conclude/wrap up,” often used for formal processes.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do German cases work?”
German has four grammatical cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possession). The case determines the form of articles and adjectives. For example, "the dog" is "der Hund" as a subject but "den Hund" as a direct object.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning GermanMaster German — from Wir beenden die Besprechung pünktlich, damit alle zur Bahn kommen to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions