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Diese Woche mache ich Überstunden, weil mein Arbeitgeber ein neues Projekt starten will.

Diese Woche mache ich Überstunden, weil mein Arbeitgeber ein neues Projekt starten will.
This week I’m working overtime because my employer wants to start a new project.
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Questions & Answers about Diese Woche mache ich Überstunden, weil mein Arbeitgeber ein neues Projekt starten will.

Why does the sentence start with Diese Woche—and why is the verb mache in second position?

German follows the V2 rule in main clauses: the finite verb (here mache) must be in position 2.
So if you put a time expression first (Diese Woche), the subject (ich) moves after the verb:

  • Diese Woche mache ich Überstunden.
    Compare:
  • Ich mache diese Woche Überstunden. (also correct)
What’s the difference between diese Woche and in dieser Woche?

Both can mean “this week,” but the feel is slightly different:

  • diese Woche = the most common, neutral “this week”
  • in dieser Woche = a bit more explicit/emphatic (“during this week”), and can sound slightly more formal or deliberate depending on context

In most everyday situations, diese Woche is the natural choice.

Why is it Überstunden (plural) and not singular?

Überstunden is very commonly used in the plural, because it usually refers to “overtime hours” as a general concept (more than one hour).
You can use singular in some contexts:

  • eine Überstunde = “one hour of overtime” But for “I’m doing overtime (in general),” Überstunden machen is the standard phrasing.
Is Überstunden machen the only way to say “to work overtime”?

No—common alternatives include:

  • Überstunden machen (very common, everyday)
  • Überstunden arbeiten (also common)
  • Mehrarbeit leisten (more formal/HR-like; “to perform additional work”)
Why is it weil mein Arbeitgeber ... will and not weil ... will ... starten like in English?

In a weil-clause, German usually sends the finite verb to the end of the clause. Here the finite verb is will (from wollen):

  • ..., weil mein Arbeitgeber ein neues Projekt starten will. The other verb (starten) stays right before it as an infinitive. This is typical verb-final word order in subordinate clauses.
Can I put weil-clauses first in the sentence?

Yes. Then you still obey V2 in the main clause (verb in position 2), which causes inversion:

  • Weil mein Arbeitgeber ein neues Projekt starten will, mache ich diese Woche Überstunden.
Is weil interchangeable with denn here?

They both mean “because,” but the grammar differs:

  • weil introduces a subordinate clause → verb goes to the end:
    ..., weil mein Arbeitgeber ... starten will.
  • denn introduces a main-clause-like structure → normal word order (verb stays in 2nd position):
    ..., denn mein Arbeitgeber will ein neues Projekt starten. denn sounds a bit more “written/argumentative” than weil, but both are common.
Why is it mein Arbeitgeber and not something like meine Arbeitgeber?

Because Arbeitgeber here is singular (“my employer”).
Plural would mean “my employers”:

  • mein Arbeitgeber = one employer
  • meine Arbeitgeber = multiple employers

Also note: Arbeitgeber is grammatically masculine (der Arbeitgeber), so it uses mein (not meine) in the nominative singular.

What case is ein neues Projekt in, and why?

It’s accusative, because it’s the direct object of starten (“to start something”):

  • ein neues Projekt = accusative neuter singular
    You can see it in the adjective ending:
  • ein neues Projekt (neuter after ein → -es)
Why is it ein neues Projekt and not ein neuen Projekt?

Because Projekt is neuter (das Projekt). In the accusative neuter with ein, the adjective ending is -es:

  • ein neues Projekt (correct)

ein neuen Projekt would fit a different gender/case (e.g., masculine accusative: einen neuen Job).

What does starten will literally mean, and is that normal German?

Literally it’s “wants to start.” That structure is completely normal:

  • modal verb (will) + infinitive (starten) at the end of the subordinate clause
    In a main clause it would be:
  • Mein Arbeitgeber will ein neues Projekt starten.
Could I replace Arbeitgeber with Chef? Would it change the meaning?

Yes, but it shifts nuance:

  • mein Arbeitgeber = “my employer” (more formal; can mean the company or the employing entity)
  • mein Chef = “my boss” (more personal; the person managing you) Both can fit, depending on what you mean:
  • ..., weil mein Chef ein neues Projekt starten will. (your boss wants to start it)
Does Diese Woche have to come at the very beginning?

No. German allows flexible word order for emphasis:

  • Diese Woche mache ich Überstunden. (emphasizes “this week”)
  • Ich mache diese Woche Überstunden. (neutral)
  • Überstunden mache ich diese Woche, weil ... (strong emphasis on “overtime,” somewhat contrastive)

The key rule is still: in a main clause, the finite verb stays in position 2.

Can weil be followed by “main clause word order” in spoken German?

In informal spoken German, you may sometimes hear weil + main clause order:

  • ..., weil mein Arbeitgeber will ein neues Projekt starten.
    This exists in speech, but it’s generally considered nonstandard (especially in writing and formal contexts). For learners, it’s best to use the standard verb-final structure:
  • ..., weil mein Arbeitgeber ein neues Projekt starten will.