Alistuskonjunktion

Alistuskonjunktion, commonly rendered as subordinating conjunction in English, is a word class that introduces a subordinate clause and marks the dependence of that clause on a main clause. Subordinate clauses cannot stand alone and function as part of a larger sentence, providing information such as time, reason, condition, or purpose for the action in the main clause.

Subordinate conjunctions encode a range of semantic relations. Typical categories include temporal (when, after), causal (because, since), conditional (if, unless), purpose (so that, in order that), concession (although, even though), and place or manner (where, how). Some languages also use these conjunctions to link clauses that express comparison or result. The choice of conjunction helps clarify the logical relationship between the clauses and often affects the word order of the subordinate clause.

In terms of syntax, subordinating conjunctions generally precede the subordinate clause. The main clause may come before or after the subordinate clause, depending on the language. In many languages, the finite verb in the subordinate clause appears in a position that reflects the clause’s subordinate status, which can differ from the main clause’s word order.

Examples in English illustrate common uses: Because it was late, we left. When I arrived, the event had started. If you study, you will succeed. Although it was raining, we continued the hike. These sentences show how the alistuskonjunktion links an additional clause to the main clause and expresses the relationship between them.

See also: conjunctions, subordinate clauses, coordinating conjunctions.