What is the difference between using ‘weil’ and ‘denn’ in German?

Both 'weil' and 'denn' mean 'because', however it is important to remember that they affect the structure of sentences differently:

'Denn' introduces a 'main clause', meaning that it can be used without any change to the word order of a sentence. 

eg. Jana ist eine gute Freundin, denn sie ist immer hilfsbereit und vertrauenswuerdig.

Jana is a good friend, because she is always helpful and trustworthy. 

VS

'Weil' introduces a 'subordinate clause', which means that it sends the verb to the end of the sentence.

eg. Jana ist eine gute Freundin, weil sie immer hilfsbereit und vertrauenswuerdig ist.

Jana is a good friend, because she is always helpful and trustworthy.

TIP: Always remember to put a comma before using either 'weil' or 'denn'!

HT
Answered by Hannah T. German tutor

29875 Views

See similar German GCSE tutors

Related German GCSE answers

All answers ▸

When do I use the accusative, genitive, and dative case with certain prepositions?


Why do some verbs take 'sein' in the past tense?


Are there fun ways to learn German?


Which sentence contains the correct word order? A) Jeden Tag spiele ich Tischtennis mit meinen Geschwistern. B) Ich spiele Tischtennis zu Hause mit meinen Geschwistern jeden Tag. C) Jeden Tag ich spiele Tischtennis mit meinen Geschwistern.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning