Der Lieferant ruft an, sobald er vor der Tür steht.

to stand

Breakdown of Der Lieferant ruft an, sobald er vor der Tür steht.

• er: he
• die Tür: the door
• vor: in front of

Questions & Answers about Der Lieferant ruft an, sobald er vor der Tür steht.

Why is there a comma before sobald?

Because sobald introduces a subordinate clause. In German, subordinate clauses are always separated from the main clause by a comma. If the sobald-clause comes first, you also put a comma after it: Sobald er vor der Tür steht, ruft der Lieferant an.

Why does the verb go to the end in sobald er vor der Tür steht?

In subordinate clauses introduced by words like sobald, weil, dass, obwohl, the finite verb goes to the end. So in the main clause it’s verb-second (ruft), and in the sobald-clause it’s verb-final (steht).

Why is it ruft an and not anruft?

Anrufen is a separable-prefix verb. In a main clause, the prefix splits off and goes to the end: ruft an. In a subordinate clause, the prefix re-attaches and the whole verb goes to the end: …, sobald der Lieferant anruft. In the perfect tense, the past participle is angerufen.

Can I put the sobald clause first?

Yes. Both orders are correct:

• Der Lieferant ruft an, sobald er vor der Tür steht.
• Sobald er vor der Tür steht, ruft der Lieferant an. Only the main clause keeps verb-second; the sobald-clause keeps the verb at the end.

Why is the present tense used for a future event?