10K+ students - 4.8/5
Learn with a teacher Learning materials included Practise conversation

Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn German zero conditional sentences (Konditionalsätze Typ 0) with phrases like „Wenn der Hund Hunger hat, frisst er das Futter.“ Master the structure: 'Wenn' + present verb at sentence end, followed by main clause with verb second.
  1. A zero conditional sentence consists of two parts: the if-clause (subordinate clause with the verb at the end) + the main clause (verb is in the second position).
  2. Both verbs are in the present tense.
  3. The order is flexible.
Situation (Wenn ...) (Situation (if ...))Reaktion (... dann) (reaction (... then))
Wenn der Hund Hunger hat,frisst er das Futter.
Wenn die Katze müde ist,schläft sie auf dem Sofa.
Wenn ich die Leine nehme,läuft der Hund zur Tür.
Wenn die Maus Angst hat,versteckt sie sich.

Exceptions!

  1. In the if-clause, the verb always comes at the end.

Exercise 1: Konditionalsätze Typ 0: Wenn … dann …

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

gebe, wohl, Gassi gehe, sich, kommt, Angst hat, trinkt, bekommt, freut, sieht, schläft, fühlt, mich, ist, riecht, läuft, versteckt, kümmere

1. Sein, schlafen:
Wenn die Katze müde ..., ... sie.
(If the cat is tired, it sleeps.)
2. Gassi gehen, freuen:
Wenn ich mit dem Hund ..., ... er sich.
(When I take the dog for a walk, he is happy.)
3. Sehen, laufen:
Wenn der Hund die Leine ..., ... er zur Tür.
(When the dog sees the lead, he runs to the door.)
4. Angst haben, sich verstecken:
Wenn die Maus ..., ... sie ....
(If the mouse is afraid, it hides.)
5. Geben, trinken:
Wenn ich der Katze Wasser ..., ... sie.
(If I give the cat water, she drinks.)
6. Sich kümmern, wohlfühlen:
Wenn ich ... um mein Haustier ..., ... es sich ....
(When I take care of my pet, it feels comfortable.)
7. Bekommen, sein:
Wenn die Schildkröte Sonne ..., ... sie aktiv.
(When the tortoise gets sun, it is active.)
8. Riechen, kommen:
Wenn die Katze Futter ..., ... sie.
(When the cat smells food, it comes.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Wenn der Hund Hunger hat, ___ er das Futter.

(When the dog is hungry, ___ he eats the food.)

2. Wenn die Katze müde ist, ___ sie auf dem Sofa.

(When the cat is tired, ___ she sleeps on the sofa.)

3. Wenn ich die Leine ___, läuft der Hund zur Tür.

(When I ___ take the leash, the dog runs to the door.)

4. Wenn die Maus Angst hat, ___ sie sich.

(When the mouse is scared, ___ it hides.)

5. Wenn die Vögel zwitschern, ___ wir sie im Garten.

(When the birds chirp, ___ we hear them in the garden.)

6. Wenn das Kaninchen Durst hat, ___ es Wasser.

(When the rabbit is thirsty, ___ it drinks water.)

Understanding Zero Conditional Sentences in German: "Wenn … dann …"

This lesson focuses on the Zero Conditional (Konditionalsatz Typ 0) in German, which is used to describe situations where one event always leads to another – a simple cause and effect in the present tense.

Structure of Zero Conditional Sentences

A Zero Conditional sentence consists of two parts:

  • Wenn-Satz (If-clause): This is a subordinate clause starting with wenn (if/when). The verb always appears at the end.
  • Hauptsatz (Main clause): The result or reaction, where the verb stands in the second position.

Both verbs are in the present tense (Präsens). The order of the clauses is flexible, but the verb position rules remain the same.

Key Example Sentences

Situation (Wenn ...)Reaction (... dann)
Wenn der Hund Hunger hat,frisst er das Futter.
Wenn die Katze müde ist,schläft sie auf dem Sofa.
Wenn ich die Leine nehme,läuft der Hund zur Tür.
Wenn die Maus Angst hat,versteckt sie sich.

Important Grammar Points

  • The verb in the Wenn-Satz always comes at the end of the clause.
  • The verb in the Hauptsatz is in the second position (standard for main clauses).
  • You can place the Wenn-Satz either before or after the main clause, making the sentence flexible.
  • Use the present tense for both verbs because the Zero Conditional describes general truths or habitual actions.

Comparing with English

In English, zero conditional sentences have a similar structure: an if-clause and a main clause, both using the present simple tense, e.g., "If the dog is hungry, it eats the food." The key difference is in word order for the dependent clause: while German requires the verb at the clause end, English keeps its usual subject-verb-object order.

Useful German phrases and their English equivalents:

  • Wenn = if/when
  • Hat Hunger = is hungry
  • Frisst das Futter = eats the food
  • Müde sein = to be tired
  • Schläft auf dem Sofa = sleeps on the sofa

Understanding the placement of verbs and use of present tense verbs will help you form correct Zero Conditional sentences in German and improve your fluency when expressing cause-and-effect situations.

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

Profile Picture

Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

University_Logo

Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 15:20