Breakdown of Die Kinder flüstern im Wohnzimmer, damit der Hund weiter schläft.
das Kind
the child
in
in
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
der Hund
the dog
Questions & Answers about Die Kinder flüstern im Wohnzimmer, damit der Hund weiter schläft.
Why is it im Wohnzimmer and not in dem Wohnzimmer or just in Wohnzimmer?
im is simply the contracted form of in dem.
- in dem Wohnzimmer = in the living room
- im Wohnzimmer = exactly the same meaning, but more natural and shorter in everyday German
You cannot say in Wohnzimmer, because Wohnzimmer is a noun and needs an article here. German almost always requires an article with singular countable nouns, unlike English.
Why is there a comma before damit?
In German, damit introduces a subordinate clause (a dependent clause expressing purpose).
Rule: Every subordinate clause in German is separated from the main clause by a comma.
- Main clause: Die Kinder flüstern im Wohnzimmer,
- Subordinate clause: damit der Hund weiter schläft.
That’s why there is a comma there.
Why does the verb go to the end in damit der Hund weiter schläft?
In German subordinate clauses, the finite verb (the conjugated verb form) goes to the end of the clause.
Main clause word order: Die Kinder flüstern im Wohnzimmer.
→ verb in 2nd position (flüstern)Subordinate clause word order: → finite verb at the end ()