Beyond weil and deshalb
Reports, articles and arguments do not run on weil and deshalb alone. They use da, zumal, sodass, folglich, somit and infolgedessen. The word order is nothing new: it depends only on the type of word.
da: the reason both of you already know
da builds the same clause as weil, with the verb at the end. The difference is information. weil gives the reason as news, the answer to warum?. da presents it as something already known or obvious, so the main clause is what matters. English since and as come closest. Because the reason is known, a da clause usually opens the sentence.
Da Herr Weber krank ist, übernimmt Frau Kern die Sitzung.
As Mr Weber is ill, Ms Kern is taking over the meeting.
everybody knows he is ill: that is not the news
Da ich am Freitag im Urlaub bin, schicke ich Ihnen die Unterlagen heute.
As I'm on holiday on Friday, I'm sending you the documents today.
a typical opening of a work email
Ich habe abgesagt, weil mir das zu teuer war.
I cancelled because it was too expensive for me.
weil: the reason is the news. Only weil can stand alone as an answer to warum?
zumal: the reason on top of the reason
zumal corresponds to especially since or all the more so because. It does not give the first reason; it adds a second one that clinches the argument, so it nearly always follows the main clause. The verb goes to the end. zumal wenn and zumal da work the same way.
Ich nehme das Fahrrad, zumal die Sonne scheint.
I'll take the bike, especially since the sun is shining.
Wir sollten das Projekt verschieben, zumal uns zwei Leute fehlen.
We should postpone the project, all the more so as we're two people short.
Ein Auto lohnt sich hier nicht, zumal wenn man in der Innenstadt wohnt.
A car isn't worth it here, particularly if you live in the city centre.
nämlich: the reason as an aside
English speakers reach for nämlich because dictionaries offer you see or namely. As a reason it is not a connector but an adverb that sits inside the clause, usually right after the verb. It adds the reason to what you just said.
Ich kann nicht mitkommen. Ich habe nämlich keine Zeit.
I can't come along. I haven't got time, you see.
Ich rufe später an. Ich sitze gerade nämlich in der Bahn.
I'll call later. I'm on the train right now, you see.
sodass and so … dass: the result
Here the cause comes first and the result is attached. sodass is a conjunction, so the verb goes to the end. It is one word in modern spelling, and so dass is also allowed. A sodass clause always follows the cause.
Der Zug hatte Verspätung, sodass ich den Anschluss verpasste.
The train was late, so I missed my connection.
Die Busfahrer streiken, sodass heute keine Busse fahren.
The bus drivers are on strike, so no buses are running today.
folglich, somit, infolgedessen: the formal results
These adverbs stand in first position, and the verb comes straight after them, exactly as with deshalb. The grammar is the same; the register differs. deshalb is at home in a text message, infolgedessen in a company report.
Choosing the result word
| Word | English | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| deshalb, deswegen, darum | that's why, so | everywhere |
| folglich | consequently | arguments, essays |
| somit | thus, so | concluding a line of reasoning |
| demnach | accordingly, so it seems | drawing a conclusion from evidence |
| infolgedessen | as a result of this | reports, official texts |
Der Vertrag wurde nicht unterschrieben, folglich gilt er nicht.
The contract was not signed, consequently it is not valid.
Alle Fristen sind abgelaufen, somit ist der Fall erledigt.
All deadlines have passed, so the case is closed.
Es gab einen Wasserschaden. Infolgedessen bleibt das Museum geschlossen.
There was water damage. As a result, the museum remains closed.
