German conjunctions split into two families with different effects on word order - one leaves the verb-second rule untouched, the other pushes the verb to the very end of its clause. Knowing which family a word belongs to matters more than memorizing a translation.
These four join two complete, independent sentences and don't disturb verb-second (Lesson 5) in either clause:
| und | and |
| aber | but |
| oder | or |
| denn | because/for (formal "because" - verb stays in slot two) |
Ich lerne Deutsch, und ich wohne in Berlin. (both clauses keep normal verb-second order)
Ich möchte kommen, aber ich habe keine Zeit.
These push the conjugated verb of the clause they introduce all the way to the end - a real word-order change, not just a linking word:
| weil | because |
| dass | that |
| wenn | if/when (repeated, or present/future) |
| als | when (one specific event, past only) |
als vs. wenn: als is only for a single, completed past event; wenn covers repeated events and anything present/future. See Lesson 82.
Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland wohne. (wohne moves to the end)
Ich glaube, dass das Wetter morgen schön wird.
Compare denn (coordinating, verb stays put) vs. weil (subordinating, verb moves) - both mean "because," but they behave completely differently grammatically. This pair trips up almost every learner at first.
Cross-checked against the Goethe-Institut A1 practice materials.