Learn Hardcore German: Sobald die E‑Mail ankommt, gebe ich dir sofort Bescheid. - As soon as the email arrives, I’ll let you know right away.

Sobald introduces a subordinate clause (a dependent time clause). In German, subordinate clauses are normally separated from the main clause by a comma. So Sobald die E‑Mail ankommt, is the dependent clause, and gebe ich dir sofort Bescheid is the main clause.

Why is the verb ankommt at the end of Sobald die E‑Mail ankommt?

In a subordinate clause introduced by words like sobald, wenn, weil, dass, German typically puts the conjugated verb at the end. That’s why it’s die E‑Mail ankommt (not ankommt die E‑Mail or kommt an).

Why does the main clause start with gebe ich instead of ich gebe?

Because the subordinate clause Sobald die E‑Mail ankommt is in position 1 of the sentence. German main clauses follow the V2 rule: the conjugated verb must be in the second position. If something other than the subject comes first (here: the whole Sobald… clause), then the verb comes next, and the subject follows: …, gebe ich ….

What exactly is Bescheid geben, and why is it split up?

Bescheid geben is a fixed expression meaning “to let someone know / to inform someone.” It behaves like a verb with a noun built in. In a main clause, the conjugated verb geben goes in V2 position (gebe), while the noun Bescheid typically stays later in the sentence. That’s why you get gebe … Bescheid rather than keeping them together.

Why is it gebe ich dir (dative) and not gebe ich dich (accusative)?

Because jemandem Bescheid geben takes a dative person: you “give notice” to someone. So:

dir = dative “to you”
dich would be accusative “you” as a direct object, which doesn’t fit this verb phrase.

What does sofort add if sobald already means “as soon as”?

They do slightly different jobs:

sobald sets the timing of when you will do it: as soon as the email arrives
sofort emphasizes how quickly / immediately you’ll act at that moment: I’ll let you know immediately Using both is natural for extra emphasis and clarity.

Can the word order be changed, e.g. Ich gebe dir sofort Bescheid, sobald die E‑Mail ankommt?

Yes. You can put the main clause first and the sobald clause second:

Ich gebe dir sofort Bescheid, sobald die E‑Mail ankommt. In that version, the main clause starts normally (Ich gebe…). The subordinate clause still has verb-final order (… ankommt) and is separated by a comma.

Why is it die E‑Mail (feminine) and not das E‑Mail?

In standard German, E‑Mail is feminine: die E‑Mail. (In some regions you may hear different gender choices, but die is the standard and safest form to learn.)

Why is it ankommt and not kommt an?

ankommen is a separable verb. In a main clause you’d split it: Die E‑Mail kommt an.
But in a subordinate clause, separable verbs are not split; the prefix stays attached at the end: … weil/sobald die E‑Mail ankommt.

Is Sobald die E‑Mail ankommt always present tense, even if it’s about the future?

German often uses the present tense to talk about future events when the time is clear from context. Sobald … ankommt refers to a future arrival, but present tense is still the normal choice. You could use future (ankommen wird), but it’s less common and often sounds heavier.

Why is E‑Mail capitalized, and why is Bescheid capitalized?

German capitalizes all nouns. E‑Mail is a noun, and Bescheid is also a noun (even though it’s part of the expression Bescheid geben), so both are capitalized.

Could I replace Bescheid geben with a simpler verb like informieren or sagen?

Yes, depending on tone:

Sobald die E‑Mail ankommt, informiere ich dich. (more formal)
Sobald die E‑Mail ankommt, sage ich dir Bescheid. (very common; adds sage
- Bescheid)
Sobald die E‑Mail ankommt, sage ich dir sofort. (possible, but less idiomatic without Bescheid or an object like “it”/the content)