und
and
The most basic German word for 'and'. It connects words, phrases, and sentences. It is used exactly like English 'and' in most cases, but can also start a sentence for emphasis or to continue a thought.
Heard in real German videos
Lines where und was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Oma und Opa Fuchs kommen heute.Grandma and Grandpa Fox are coming today.
- Und jetzt ein bisschen Musik.And now a little music.
- Und es geht los.And here we go.
Example sentences
- Ich trinke Kaffee und esse Kuchen.I drink coffee and eat cake.
- Er ist müde und geht ins Bett.He is tired and goes to bed.
- Und dann sind wir nach Hause gegangen.And then we went home.
Common phrases
- und so weiterand so on
- und zwarnamely, that is
- ab und zunow and then
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often put a comma before 'and' when joining two independent clauses. In German, a comma before 'und' is optional when it connects two main clauses (Hauptsätze), but it is not used when connecting words, phrases, or subordinate clauses.
Questions learners ask
Does 'und' change the word order in a sentence?
No, 'und' is a coordinating conjunction and does not affect the position of the verb. The word order remains the same as in a main clause.
Can 'und' start a sentence?
Yes, in spoken and informal written German, 'und' often starts a sentence to continue a thought or add emphasis, similar to English.