Distinguishing dann from denn

This week we are going to take a look at the differences between dann and denn, a fairly difficult topic even for experienced non-native German speakers. Part of the problem lies in the fact that in Old High German and Middle High German, these two currently distinct words were just one word, thus they both come from the same root. If we reduce dann and denn to their basic grammatical forms, it's possible to get a better understanding of how they are used.

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1. As an adverb, dann is usually translated as "then":

 

Wenn die Klassen größer werden als 15 bis 20,

When the classes get bigger than 15 to 20,

dann fange ich an zu teilen.

then I start to split them.

Caption 67, Strothoff International School - Interview mit dem Rektor

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Dann ist auch die Mutter damit beschäftigt, Nahrung herbeizuschaffen.

Then the mother is also occupied with providing nourishment.

Caption 31, Alpenseen - Kühle Schönheiten

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If you ever hear a native German say denn as an adverb in sentences similar to the above, that's because in Northern German dialect, denn and dann are still interchangeable. According to Duden, any other use of denn as an adverb is only very rare. 

 

2. As a particle, denn is usually translated as "then":

 

Und was ist denn los?

And what is happening then?

Caption 45, Das Lügenbüro - Die Bewerbung

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Wo wollen wir denn hin?

Where do we want to go then?

Caption 30, Die Klasse - Berlin '61

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Note that the particle denn is almost exclusively found in interrogative sentences (sentences that ask a question)!

 

3: As a coordinating conjunction, denn is usually translated to English as "because" (or sometimes "since"):

 

Wir erleben Emotionen und heben ab, denn wir sind frei.

We experience emotions and lift off, because we are free.

Caption 12, Christina Stürmer - Fieber

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Denn plötzlich wurden wir eine richtig moderne Familie.

Because suddenly we became a really modern family.

Caption 21, Mama arbeitet wieder - Kapitel 1: Alle haben sich lieb

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Notice that denn is a conjunction like und or aber or oder and does not force the sentence order to place the verb at the end of the sentence. 

 

So to recap:  
1. dann as an adverb usually translates as "then";
2. denn as a particle is usually found in sentences asking a question and usually translates as "then," though as an emphasis word it may not be translated at all;
3. denn as a conjunction usually translates as "because," except in
4. Northern German dialect, where denn is used interchangeably for the standard German adverb dann.

 

Perhaps the easiest way to remember the basic gist of this is: if you want to say "then" in a sentence, it's usually dann; if you want to say "then" in a question, it will most often be denn; or if you want to say "because" you can use denn. This is somewhat oversimplifying the situation, but should serve as a good way to sort out the basics of the differences between dann and denn!

 

In next week's lesson, we will learn about the difference between the conjunctions denn and weil, both ways to say "because."

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Further Learning
Go to Yabla German and search for dann and denn to see the words used in a real-world context. For an in-depth analysis of the origin of the words dann and denn, read this DWDS page under Etymologie, and be sure and click below it for the full version of the text! For a somewhat lighter-hearted view on the two words, check out this German language blog.

Austrian, Swiss & Southern German Dialects

You may at some point go to Austria, or watch a film or TV program made in Southern Germany, or read an article that is written in Swiss German. Let's talk today — all difficulties in understanding the accents aside — about some words in Austrian, Swiss, and Southern German dialects that are different from words used in Standard German. Such dialects are occasionally found on Yabla German too!

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In der Früh [Dialekt] ist er ganz stolz gewesen wieder.

In the morning he was very proud again.

Caption 81, Oktoberfest München - Auf der Wiesn

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Die Früh is a standard Austrian and Southern German expression for "morning," which is der Morgen in Standard German.

 

Ich wurde eben von meinen Freunden da so 'n bisserl [ein bisschen] inspiriert.

I was just inspired a little bit by my friends.

Caption 8, Rhein-Main-TV aktuell - Börsen-Gewinnspiel

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Wird 'n bissel [bisschen] später heute.

It will be a little bit later today.

Caption 9, Mama arbeitet wieder - Kapitel 1: Alle haben sich lieb

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Bissel and bisserl are typical dialect for the Standard German bisschen.

 

Als besonderes Zuckerl [Dialekt] für die Rider zum Training...

As a special treat for the riders to train on...

Caption 8, Wintersport - 7. Austrian Freeski Open

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Das Zuckerl is Bavarian dialect for a "candy," "sweet," or "treat," rendered as der (or das) Bonbon in Standard German.

 

Patrick Hollaus zählt auch heuer [Dialekt: dieses Jahr] wieder zu den heißen Favoriten.

Patrick Hollaus is counted among the hot favourites again this year.

Caption 34, Wintersport - 7. Austrian Freeski Open

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Heuer is Southern German, Austrian, and Swiss dialect for "this year," or dieses Jahr in Standard German.

 

„Ist der Brief im Kuvert? Ist eine Marke drauf?“

"Is the letter in the envelope? Is there a stamp on it?"

Caption 22, Janoschs Traumstunde - Post für den Tiger

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The word das Kuvert is indeed acceptable Standard German, but is primarily used instead of der Briefumschlag for "envelope" in Austria and Switzerland.

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Further Learning
Some other very typical Southern German dialects are found in names of food. Here are a few examples, with the first word as dialect in bold, followed by the English word and the Standard German word in parentheses: der Erdapfel (potato, die Kartoffel); der Kukuruz (corn, maize, der Mais); die Marille (apricot, die Aprikose); der Paradieser (tomato, die Tomate); die Ribisel (currants, die Johannisbeere); das Schwammerl (mushroom, der Pilz); die Semmel (bread roll, das Brötchen); die Zwetschge / die Zwetschke (plum, die Pflaume). Now that you are prepared, you can watch this three-part video series on Yabla German to hear some real-life Austrians in action!

Syllabic Abbreviations in German

A syllabic abbreviation is formed by taking the first syllable of several words and putting them together. It is a common practice in German that is rarely used in English. One English syllabic abbreviation you may recognize is Interpol, formed from "international police." You may not have known that the word for the Nazi secret police terror organization the Gestapo comes from a syllabic abbreviation of die Geheime Staatspolizei. Note that the gender of a German abbreviation is determined by the main noun of the word it is derived from, hence die Gestapo.  Let's take a brief look at some other common German syllabic abbreviations.

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Stasi-Akten aus dem Schredder...

Stasi [acronym for state security] files from the shredder...

Caption 2, DDR zum Anfassen - Ganz tief im Westen

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The notorious East German secret police die Stasi also had their own syllabic abbreviation, in this case formed from die Staatssicherheit, the Ministry of State Security.
 

Das sind Fragen für die Kripo [Kriminalpolizei],

Those are questions for the criminal investigation department,

nicht für uns.

not for us.

Caption 14, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern

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In this case, die Kripo is derived from die Kriminalpolizei, the department of the police that specializes in criminal investigations. But let's get away from the police while we still can! 
 

Du musst in die Kita [Kindertagesstätte].

You have to go to daycare.

Caption 20, Mama arbeitet wieder - Kapitel 1: Alle haben sich lieb

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Ironic, considering its German origin, that the most common German word for a daycare center is not der Kindergarten, but rather die Kita, an abbreviation of die Kindertagesstätte.
 

Ich stehe hier vor dem Audimax.

I am standing here in front of the main lecture hall.

Caption 28, Universität - Karlsruhe

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At the university level, the term das Audimax is standard student parlance for the largest lecture hall of a given university, and in this case is an abbreviation of the Latin term auditorium maximum.

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Further Learning
Take a look at this German article about syllabic abbreviations and go to German Yabla to find some of the words and phrases used in context.