German · B1 · Family moment
Tired Yet Curious in German
Use obwohl (“although”) to describe your baby’s little contrasts with patience and affection. These phrases practise verb-final subordinate clauses and main-clause word order.
What you'll learn
- Describe contrasting situations using obwohl.
- Put the finite verb at the end of an obwohl clause.
- Place the main-clause verb immediately after a fronted obwohl clause.
- Use everyday vocabulary for your baby’s needs and discoveries.
German phrases for tired yet curious
Obwohl du müde bist, willst du dich trotzdem umschauen.
Although you are tired, you still want to look around.
Bist ends the obwohl clause. The main clause begins willst du. Trotzdem reinforces the contrast: “still” or “nevertheless.”
Du lächelst, obwohl dein neuer Zahn wehtut.
You are smiling, although your new tooth hurts.
Wehtut comes last. The separable verb wehtun stays together in this subordinate clause.
Obwohl deine Windel nass ist, spielst du fröhlich weiter.
Although your nappy is wet, you are still playing happily.
Weiterspielen means “to keep playing.” In the main clause, it separates into spielst … weiter.
Du trinkst nur wenig, obwohl du hungrig bist.
You only drink a little, although you are hungry.
Nur wenig means “only a little.” Bist goes at the end of the obwohl clause.
Obwohl es draußen kalt ist, machen wir einen kurzen Spaziergang mit dem Kinderwagen.
Although it is cold outside, we are going for a short pram walk.
After the opening obwohl clause, use machen wir, not wir machen. Mit takes the dative: mit dem Kinderwagen.
Ich bleibe bei dir, obwohl du schon schläfst.
I am staying beside you, although you are already asleep.
Bei dir means “beside you” or “with you.” Schon means “already.”
Obwohl das Badewasser warm ist, willst du dich nicht hinsetzen.
Although the bath is warm, you do not want to sit down.
Badewasser naturally refers to the warm bath water. With willst, the infinitive hinsetzen goes at the end of the main clause.
Du greifst nach dem Löffel, obwohl deine Hände voll sind.
You are reaching for the spoon, although your hands are full.
Nach etwas greifen means “to reach for something.” Nach takes the dative: nach dem Löffel.
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
sich umschauen
to look around
A reflexive verb: with du, use dich, as in du schaust dich um.
wehtun
to hurt
Main clause: Der Zahn tut weh. Subordinate clause: obwohl der Zahn wehtut.
die Windel
nappy; diaper
Plural: die Windeln. Eine nasse Windel is “a wet nappy.”
der Kinderwagen
pram; stroller
Mit dem Kinderwagen means “with the pram.”
sich hinsetzen
to sit down
Describes the movement into a sitting position. Sitzen means “to be sitting.”
nach etwas greifen
to reach for something
Use nach followed by the dative, for example nach dem Löffel.
Obwohl introduces a contrast
Obwohl means “although.” It introduces a fact that makes the main-clause situation seem unexpected. Separate the two clauses with a comma.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Main clause first | Main clause, obwohl + subject + other words + finite verb. | Du trinkst nur wenig, obwohl du hungrig bist. |
| Obwohl clause first | Obwohl + subject + other words + finite verb, main-clause verb + subject + remaining words. | Obwohl du hungrig bist, trinkst du nur wenig. |
Put the finite verb last
The finite verb is the verb form that agrees with the subject, such as bist, schläfst or sind. In an obwohl clause, it goes at the end. Separable verbs stay together there.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb with an adjective | obwohl + subject + adjective + finite verb | obwohl deine Hände voll sind |
| Verb with an adverb | obwohl + subject + adverb + finite verb | obwohl du schon schläfst |
| Separable verb | obwohl + subject + complete finite verb | obwohl dein neuer Zahn wehtut |
Inversion after an opening obwohl clause
An opening obwohl clause fills the first position of the whole sentence. The main-clause finite verb follows immediately after the comma, before the subject. Do not add aber (“but”). Trotzdem (“nevertheless”) is optional and can reinforce the contrast.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Finite verb before subject | Obwohl …, verb + subject … | Obwohl deine Windel nass ist, spielst du fröhlich weiter. |
| Modal verb before subject | Obwohl …, modal verb + subject + remaining words + infinitive. | Obwohl das Badewasser warm ist, willst du dich nicht hinsetzen. |
More examples
Du willst dich trotzdem umschauen, obwohl du müde bist.
You still want to look around, although you are tired.
With the main clause first, its usual subject–verb order stays unchanged.
Obwohl du schon schläfst, bleibe ich bei dir.
Although you are already asleep, I am staying beside you.
Schläfst ends the subordinate clause; bleibe comes before ich in the main clause.