German Concessive Clauses (obwohl)
Konzessivsätze
Subordinate clauses expressing a concession or unexpected contrast, typically introduced by 'obwohl'.
Concessive clauses (Konzessivsätze) in German are subordinate clauses that express a concession, obstacle, or an unexpected contrast to the main clause. They answer the question 'despite what?' (trotz welchen Umstands?). The most common subordinating conjunction used to introduce these clauses is 'obwohl' (although/even though). Since 'obwohl' introduces a subordinate clause, the conjugated verb is pushed to the very end of that clause, while the main clause maintains verb-second structure.
Alternatively, concessive relationships can be expressed in a main clause using the adverb 'trotzdem' (nevertheless/anyway) or the preposition 'trotz' (despite), which requires the genitive case. Understanding how to use 'obwohl' and 'trotzdem' is crucial because they are grammatical opposites in sentence structure: 'obwohl' initiates a subordinate clause, whereas 'trotzdem' starts a main clause and triggers inversion. Mastering these options helps you explain complex situations clearly.
Examples
Wir gehen spazieren, obwohl es stark regnet.
We are going for a walk although it is raining hard.
Obwohl er müde war, lernte er bis spät in die Nacht.
Although he was tired, he studied until late at night.
Es ist kalt, trotzdem spielen die Kinder draußen.
It is cold, nevertheless the children are playing outside.
Related terms
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