Konsekutive

Konsekutive, in linguistic and grammatical usage, refers to a type of subordinate clause whose function is to express a result or consequence of the action or state described in the main clause. The term derives from Latin consecutivus (following in sequence). In German linguistics the corresponding term is Konsekutivsatz, and related terms appear in other languages under different labels.

Function and markers. A Konsekutivsatz indicates what follows from the situation in the main clause. In German, common constructions include so dass, sodass, or a bare dass clause after an element that signals magnitude or degree (for example, so + adjective or adverb). Example: Es war so kalt, dass wir nicht hinausgehen konnten. In English this corresponds to a clause introduced by so that: It was so cold that we could not go outside. In other languages, equivalent patterns exist, such as tan ... que in Spanish (Hablaba tan bajo que nadie podía oírle), or so [...] that in English.

Relation to other clause types. Konsekutivsätze are contrasted with causal clauses (Kausalsätze, expressing reason), final clauses (Zweck), or temporal clauses (Temporalsätze). They are typically treated as a subtype of Nebensatz (subordinate clause) in Germanic and Romance grammar, and their exact formation can vary by language, including the use of mood (subjunctive in indirect speech or irrealis) in some contexts.

Cross-linguistic notes. The concept exists across languages, but the linguistic markers, word order, and mood requirements differ. Some languages rely on dedicated particles or fixed phrase structures to signal consequence, while others use conjunctions and scaling adverbs to convey the result.