German · A2 · Everyday language
Still We Try in German
Use trotzdem (“still” or “nevertheless”) to show your child that a difficulty does not have to stop a positive action or feeling.
What you'll learn
- Describe everyday difficulties and positive contrasts.
- Start a contrasting main clause with trotzdem.
- Place the conjugated verb directly after trotzdem.
German phrases for still we try
Es regnet. Trotzdem gehen wir zu Fuß zur Schule.
It is raining. Still, we are walking to school.
Zu Fuß means “on foot.” After trotzdem, gehen comes before wir.
Das Buch ist lang. Trotzdem willst du es lesen.
The book is long. Still, you want to read it.
Willst means “want to.” The infinitive lesen goes at the end.
Du bist müde. Trotzdem willst du mit deinem Freund spielen.
You are tired. Still, you want to play with your friend.
For a female friend, use mit deiner Freundin.
Die Hausaufgaben sind schwierig. Trotzdem versuchst du es.
The homework is difficult. Still, you are trying.
Hausaufgaben is plural in German, so use sind. Du versuchst es means “you are trying” or “you are giving it a try.”
Dein Freund ist spät dran. Trotzdem haben wir Zeit zum Spielen.
Your friend is late. Still, we have time to play.
Spät dran sein means “to be running late.” Zeit zum Spielen means “time to play.”
Dein Zahn wackelt. Trotzdem kannst du dein Sandwich essen.
Your tooth is loose. Still, you can eat your sandwich.
Dein Zahn wackelt is a natural way to say that a tooth is loose. Essen goes at the end after kannst.
Du hast nur zwei Euro. Trotzdem kannst du ein kleines Notizbuch kaufen.
You have only two euros. Still, you can buy a small notebook.
Use zwei Euro, not zwei Euros, when stating an amount.
Unser Team hat verloren. Trotzdem hattest du Spaß.
Our team lost. Still, you had fun.
Hat verloren means “lost.” Hattest du Spaß means “you had fun” in this statement after trotzdem.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
trotzdem
still; nevertheless; even so
Introduces something that happens despite the difficulty just mentioned. It does not mean “still” in the sense of “not finished yet.”
zu Fuß
on foot
Use gehen with zu Fuß to make it clear that someone is walking.
versuchen
to try
Du versuchst es is a useful phrase for encouraging effort.
spät dran sein
to be running late
An everyday expression: Dein Freund ist spät dran.
wackeln
to wobble; to be loose
Useful when talking about a child's loose tooth: Der Zahn wackelt.
das Notizbuch
notebook
A small book for notes or drawings. The plural is die Notizbücher.
Spaß haben
to have fun
Present: du hast Spaß. Past: du hattest Spaß.
Trotzdem + conjugated verb + subject
Trotzdem introduces a contrasting main clause. When it comes first, the conjugated verb must come next, followed by the subject. Do not add a comma immediately after trotzdem.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pattern | Trotzdem + conjugated verb + subject + rest. | Trotzdem haben wir Zeit zum Spielen. |
| Present tense | Trotzdem + versuchst + du + es. | Trotzdem versuchst du es. |
| Past tense | Trotzdem + hattest + du + Spaß. | Trotzdem hattest du Spaß. |
Trotzdem with wollen and können
With a modal verb such as wollen (“to want to”) or können (“can”), put the conjugated modal directly after trotzdem. Put the main verb in its infinitive form at the end.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Wanting to do something | Trotzdem + willst + du + rest + infinitive. | Trotzdem willst du es lesen. |
| Being able to do something | Trotzdem + kannst + du + rest + infinitive. | Trotzdem kannst du dein Sandwich essen. |
More examples
Es regnet. Trotzdem gehen wir zu Fuß zur Schule.
It is raining. Still, we are walking to school.
Notice the change from subject–verb in es regnet to verb–subject after trotzdem: gehen wir.
Das Buch ist lang. Trotzdem willst du es lesen.
The book is long. Still, you want to read it.
Willst is conjugated and comes second; lesen is an infinitive and comes last.
Unser Team hat verloren. Trotzdem hattest du Spaß.
Our team lost. Still, you had fun.
Trotzdem can link a disappointing result with a positive feeling.