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Questions & Answers about Sie ist fleißig, denn sie lernt jeden Abend.
What kind of conjunction is denn, and how does it affect word order?
denn is a coordinating conjunction. It links two main clauses and keeps normal verb‑second (V2) order in the second clause: ..., denn sie lernt jeden Abend. Not: ..., denn sie jeden Abend lernt.
Can I use weil instead of denn? What changes?
Yes. weil is a subordinating conjunction, so the finite verb goes to the end: Sie ist fleißig, weil sie jeden Abend lernt.
Nuance:
- denn ≈ “for/because” giving a justification; common in writing; neutral to slightly formal.
- weil = “because,” the everyday default for expressing cause.
Colloquial speech sometimes uses V2 after weil (e.g., weil sie lernt jeden Abend), but avoid this in standard writing. You can start a sentence with Denn only as a continuation of the previous statement; it’s not a normal stand‑alone answer to “Warum?”
Is the comma before denn required?
Yes. German requires a comma before denn when it joins independent clauses: ..., denn ...
Why is it fleißig and not fleißige?
Because fleißig is a predicate adjective after sein. Predicate adjectives are uninflected in German: Sie ist fleißig.
If the adjective directly modifies a noun, it takes an ending: eine fleißige Studentin.
Does lernt mean “is studying” or “studies”?
Both. German has no dedicated present progressive. Sie lernt can mean “she studies” (habit) or “she is studying” (now). To stress “right now,” add gerade: Sie lernt gerade.
Why is the first Sie capitalized but the second sie lowercase? Is it “she” or formal “you”?
At the start of a sentence, Sie is capitalized anyway, so it could be “she” or formal “You.” The second pronoun is sie (lowercase), which shows the referent is “she.”
For formal “You,” both would be capitalized: Sie sind fleißig, denn Sie lernen jeden Abend.
Do I have to repeat the subject in the second clause?
Yes. German is not a “pro‑drop” language. You must state the subject again: ..., denn sie lernt ... (not: ..., denn lernt ...).
What case is jeden Abend, and why jeden (not jedem)?
It’s accusative. Bare time expressions indicating “when/how often” often use the accusative (the “accusative of time”): jeden Abend (“every evening”).
Abend is masculine; jeder declines to jeden in the masculine accusative. jedem would be dative (e.g., with a preposition: an jedem Abend), which sounds heavier than the idiomatic jeden Abend.
Can I move jeden Abend to the front?
Yes, for emphasis or style: Sie ist fleißig, denn jeden Abend lernt sie. The finite verb still has to be in second position in that clause (lernt).
Can I use abends instead of jeden Abend?
Yes, with a nuance. abends = “in the evenings” (habitual, general). jeden Abend = “every single evening” (stronger, more literal frequency). Both fit; choose based on how absolute the statement should sound.
Is denn the same as dann?
No. denn ≈ “for/because.” dann = “then” (time/sequence). Don’t confuse them.
What about denn in questions like Was machst du denn?
That denn is a modal particle, not the causal conjunction. It softens the question or adds curiosity/emphasis. It does not mean “because” and cannot be replaced by weil.
How are ist and lernt formed? Quick conjugation?
- sein (to be): ich bin, du bist, er/sie/es ist, wir sind, ihr seid, sie/Sie sind.
- lernen (to learn/study): ich lerne, du lernst, er/sie/es lernt, wir lernen, ihr lernt, sie/Sie lernen.
So: Sie ist ... sie lernt ...
Why does fleißig use ß? Is fleissig also correct?
ß appears after a long vowel or diphthong (here, ei). In Switzerland and Liechtenstein, ß is not used, so you’ll see fleissig. In Germany/Austria, fleißig is standard.
Could I just write two sentences instead of using denn?
Yes: Sie ist fleißig. Sie lernt jeden Abend. The causal link is then implied rather than explicitly marked. denn makes the justification explicit.
Could I use da instead of denn/weil?
Yes, with a stylistic shift. da (“since/as”) is subordinating and pushes the verb to the end: Da sie jeden Abend lernt, ist sie fleißig. It’s a bit more formal and is often placed at the beginning to foreground the reason.
