My German teacher once told me, very kindly, that my sentences sounded like “a yak throwing snowballs.”
Short. Choppy. Confused.
I’d say things like:
„Ich habe Hunger. Ich gehe essen. Es regnet. Ich… äh… trotzdem?“
German listeners were supportive, but I could see them mentally glue-gunning my sentences together.
Once you learn Verbindungswörter /fɛɐ̯ˈbɪndʊŋsˌvœʁtɐ/—linking words—your German becomes smoother, clearer, and much more grown-up.
Let’s turn your snowballs into clean, elegant sentences.
Quick Primer: Why Linking Words Matter
Linking words help you:
- connect two ideas
- explain cause, effect, contrast, and time
- sound natural instead of robotic
- tell stories instead of lists
The good news: German linking words are predictable and wonderfully useful.
Useful starter sentence frames:
- Ich komme später, weil…
- Es ist kalt, aber…
- Ich war müde, deshalb…
- Zuerst…, dann…, danach…
You’ll use these constantly.
Contrast Words (But, However, Although)
These help you express disagreement, unexpected results, or polite corrections.
| German | IPA | English |
| aber | /ˈaːbɐ/ | but |
| jedoch | /jeˈdɔx/ | however |
| allerdings | /ˈalɐˌdɪŋs/ | however, indeed |
| obwohl | /ɔpˈvoːl/ | although |
| trotzdem | /ˈtʁɔt͡sdeːm/ | nevertheless |
| dennoch | /ˈdɛnɔx/ | yet, still |
Examples:
- Ich komme gern, aber ich habe wenig Zeit.
I’d love to come, but I have little time. - Es regnet, trotzdem gehe ich spazieren.
It’s raining, nevertheless I’m going for a walk. - Obwohl ich müde war, habe ich weitergelernt.
Although I was tired, I kept studying.
Cause & Effect (Because, Therefore, So)
These make your explanations clear and logical.
| German | IPA | English |
| weil | /vaɪ̯l/ | because |
| denn | /dɛn/ | because (more formal/literary) |
| deshalb | /ˈdɛsˌhalp/ | therefore |
| deswegen | /ˈdɛsˌveːɡn̩/ | because of that |
| darum | /ˈdaːʁʊm/ | that’s why |
| also | /ˈalzoː/ | so |
Examples:
- Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.
I’m staying home because I’m sick. - Es ist spät, deshalb gehen wir jetzt.
It’s late, therefore we’re leaving now. - Ich habe trainiert, deswegen bin ich hungrig.
I worked out, that’s why I’m hungry.
Adding Information (And, Also, In Addition)
Essential for stringing ideas together smoothly.
| German | IPA | English |
| und | /ʊnt/ | and |
| auch | /aʊ̯x/ | also |
| außerdem | /ˈaʊ̯sɐˌdeːm/ | in addition |
| zusätzlich | /ˈt͡suːzɛt͡slɪç/ | additionally |
| sowie | /zoːˈviː/ | as well as |
Examples:
- Ich trinke Kaffee und esse ein Brötchen.
I drink coffee and eat a bread roll. - Er spricht Englisch. Außerdem lernt er Deutsch.
He speaks English. In addition, he’s learning German. - Sie hat Bücher sowie Notizhefte gekauft.
She bought books as well as notebooks.
Time Connectors (First, Then, Before, After)
Perfect for storytelling and instructions.
| German | IPA | English |
| zuerst | /tsuˈeːɐ̯st/ | first |
| dann | /dan/ | then |
| danach | /daˈnaːx/ | after that |
| bevor | /bəˈfoːɐ̯/ | before |
| nachdem | /ˈnaːxdeːm/ | after |
| während | /ˈvɛːʁənt/ | while |
| sobald | /zoːˈbalt/ | as soon as |
Examples:
- Zuerst frühstücke ich, dann gehe ich zur Arbeit.
First I have breakfast, then I go to work. - Bevor ich einschlafe, lese ich ein bisschen.
Before I fall asleep, I read a little. - Nachdem wir gegessen hatten, sind wir spazieren gegangen.
After we ate, we went for a walk.
Clarification & Examples (In other words, For example)
Helpful when you’re explaining new vocabulary or ideas (which you’ll do a lot while learning German).
| German | IPA | English |
| das heißt | /das haɪ̯st/ | that means |
| zum Beispiel | /t͡sʊm ˈbaɪ̯ʃpiːl/ | for example |
| genauer gesagt | /ɡəˈnaʊ̯ɐ ɡəˈzaːkt/ | more precisely |
| in anderen Worten | /ɪn ˈandʁən ˈvɔʁtn̩/ | in other words |
Examples:
- Ich mag Obst, zum Beispiel Äpfel und Trauben.
I like fruit, for example apples and grapes. - Er ist mein Kollege, das heißt, wir arbeiten zusammen.
He’s my colleague, meaning we work together.
Conditions (If, Unless)
These let you talk about possibilities and plans.
| German | IPA | English |
| wenn | /vɛn/ | if, when |
| falls | /fal̩s/ | in case |
| sofern | /zoːˈfɛʁn/ | provided that |
| außer wenn | /ˈaʊ̯sɐ vɛn/ | unless |
Examples:
- Ich rufe dich an, wenn ich Zeit habe.
I’ll call you if I have time. - Falls es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause.
If it rains, we’ll stay home.
Mini Dialogues (Using Connectors Naturally)
Dialogue 1 – Making Plans
Hast du heute Zeit?
/has tuː ˈhɔʏ̯tə tsaɪ̯t/
Do you have time today?
Ich glaube ja, aber ich muss zuerst arbeiten.
/ɪç ˈɡlaʊ̯bə jaː ˈaːbɐ ɪç mʊs tsuˈeːɐ̯st ˈaʁbaɪ̯tn̩/
I think so, but I have to work first.
Kein Problem, dann treffen wir uns später.
/kaɪ̯n pʁoˈbleːm dan ˈtʁɛfn̩ viːɐ̯ ʊns ˈʃpeːtɐ/
No problem, then we’ll meet later.
Dialogue 2 – Explaining A Reason
Warum bist du so müde?
/vaˈʁʊm bɪst duː zoː ˈmyːdə/
Why are you so tired?
Ich konnte nicht schlafen, weil es zu laut war.
/ɪç ˈkɔntə nɪçt ˈʃlaːfn̩ vaɪ̯l ɛs tsuː laʊ̯t vaːʁ/
I couldn’t sleep because it was too loud.
Dialogue 3 – Giving Instructions
Was muss ich machen?
/vas mʊs ɪç ˈmaxən/
What do I need to do?
Zuerst drückst du den Knopf, danach wartest du.
/tsuˈeːɐ̯st dʁʏkst duː deːn knɔpf daˈnaːx ˈvaʁtɛst duː/
First you press the button, then you wait.
Quick Reference Table: Essential Connectors
| German | IPA | English |
| und | /ʊnt/ | and |
| aber | /ˈaːbɐ/ | but |
| obwohl | /ɔpˈvoːl/ | although |
| trotzdem | /ˈtʁɔt͡sdeːm/ | nevertheless |
| weil | /vaɪ̯l/ | because |
| deshalb | /ˈdɛsˌhalp/ | therefore |
| dann | /dan/ | then |
| danach | /daˈnaːx/ | after that |
| bevor | /bəˈfoːɐ̯/ | before |
| nachdem | /ˈnaːxdeːm/ | after |
| zum Beispiel | /t͡sʊm ˈbaɪ̯ʃpiːl/ | for example |
| wenn | /vɛn/ | if |
Five-Minute Practice Plan
- Contrast Mini-Drill (1 minute)
Say each one twice:
- aber
- trotzdem
- obwohl
Then make one quick sentence with each.
- aber
- Cause & Effect Chain (1 minute)
Build a three-part sentence:
- weil
- deshalb
Example:
Ich bin müde, weil ich spät ins Bett ging. Deshalb brauche ich Kaffee.
- weil
- Time Order Practice (1 minute)
Say out loud:
Zuerst…, dann…, danach…
Fill it in with real actions. - If-Sentences (1 minute)
Make two sentences with wenn and one with falls. - Your Story, Now Smoother (30–60 seconds)
Describe your morning using at least three connectors.
Doesn’t need to be perfect—just connected.
Let Your German Flow Like A River, Not A To-Do List
Once you start using weil, aber, trotzdem, dann, and zuerst, your German stops sounding like a broken robot and starts sounding like a real human being who can tell stories, explain ideas, and connect thoughts gracefully.
It’s one of the biggest small upgrades you can make—like suddenly discovering your German sentences come with WiFi.