German · B1 · Family moment
Little Causes Count in German
Little causes count: describe everyday baby discoveries in German using sodass to connect a small action or change with its observed result.
What you'll learn
- Describe small actions and their consequences in everyday baby care.
- Use sodass with the finite verb at the end of the result clause.
- Distinguish an observed result with sodass from an intended purpose with damit.
German phrases for little causes count
Du hast in der Badewanne gestrampelt, sodass mein Ärmel nass geworden ist.
You kicked in the bath, with the result that my sleeve got wet.
Strampeln describes a baby's kicking movements. In the sodass clause, the finite verb ist comes last.
Deine Flasche ist ausgelaufen, sodass dein Unterhemd feucht geworden ist.
Your bottle leaked, with the result that your vest got damp.
Unterhemd means a vest worn as an undershirt. Feucht means damp rather than fully wet.
Du hast den Ball geschubst, sodass er unter das Sofa gerollt ist.
You pushed the ball, with the result that it rolled under the sofa.
Er refers to der Ball. Unter das Sofa uses the accusative because it describes where the ball moved to.
Du hast deine Socke ausgezogen, sodass ein Fuß nackt war.
You pulled off your sock, with the result that one foot was bare.
Ausziehen means to take off clothing. War comes last in the result clause.
Dein Löffel ist runtergefallen, sodass ich ihn waschen musste.
Your spoon fell down, with the result that I had to wash it.
Runtergefallen is natural in everyday speech. Ihn refers to der Löffel; the finite modal verb musste follows waschen.
Im Zimmer ist es laut geworden, sodass du aufgewacht bist.
The room became noisy, with the result that you woke up.
German naturally says 'it became noisy in the room.' Aufwachen forms its conversational past with sein: du bist aufgewacht.
Du hast den Arm ein bisschen weiter ausgestreckt, sodass du deinen Teddy berühren konntest.
You reached a little farther, with the result that you could touch your teddy.
Den Arm weiter ausstrecken means to reach farther by extending your arm. Konntest comes after the infinitive berühren.
Du hast dir Brei in die Haare gerieben, sodass wir sie waschen mussten.
You rubbed porridge into your hair, with the result that we had to wash it.
Dir shows that these are your own hairs. German uses the plural die Haare, so sie means 'it' here in the English translation.
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
strampeln
to kick one's legs
Often used for babies moving their legs energetically.
der Ärmel
sleeve
Plural: die Ärmel.
auslaufen
to leak
For a leaking bottle: Die Flasche ist ausgelaufen.
das Unterhemd
vest; undershirt
Not die Weste, which means a waistcoat or an outer sleeveless garment.
schubsen
to push; to give a push
Den Ball schubsen is a natural way to describe giving a ball a push.
der Brei
porridge; soft or puréed food
A broad everyday word for baby food. Haferbrei specifically means oat porridge.
An observed result with sodass
Sodass introduces the consequence of the preceding action or situation. Put a comma before sodass and the finite verb at the end of its clause. The two-word spelling so dass is also correct.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pattern | Main clause, sodass + subject + other information + finite verb. | Du hast deine Socke ausgezogen, sodass ein Fuß nackt war. |
| Conversational past | sodass + subject + other information + past participle + haben/sein | Du hast den Ball geschubst, sodass er unter das Sofa gerollt ist. |
Modal verbs in the result clause
Musste means 'had to'; konnte means 'could' or 'was able to.' In these result clauses, the infinitive comes just before the finite modal verb. These simple-past modal forms are natural in conversation.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Had to | sodass + subject + object + infinitive + musste/mussten | Dein Löffel ist runtergefallen, sodass ich ihn waschen musste. |
| Could | sodass + subject + object + infinitive + konnte/konntest | Du hast den Arm ein bisschen weiter ausgestreckt, sodass du deinen Teddy berühren konntest. |
Result: sodass; purpose: damit
Use sodass to report what happened as a consequence. Use damit to explain an aim: what someone wants to happen. Damit does not tell us whether that aim was achieved. Both conjunctions send the finite verb to the end.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Observed result | sodass = with the result that | Ich habe leise gesprochen, sodass du weitergeschlafen hast. |
| Intended purpose | damit = so that; in order that | Ich habe leise gesprochen, damit du weiterschlafen konntest. |
More examples
Du hast gegen das Mobile gestupst, sodass es sich bewegt hat.
You nudged the mobile, with the result that it moved.
An everyday discovery: the baby's action caused a visible movement.
Ich habe den Teddy näher hingelegt, sodass du ihn greifen konntest.
I put the teddy closer, with the result that you could grasp it.
Sodass reports the resulting ability to grasp the teddy.
Ich habe den Teddy näher hingelegt, damit du ihn greifen konntest.
I put the teddy closer so that you could grasp it.
Damit describes the parent's purpose rather than confirming the result.