1. Function
The construction Es wäre gut, wenn ... expresses a polite suggestion, advice, or a hypothetical situation. It means *"It would be good if ..."* in English. It uses the subjunctive mood (Konjunktiv II) to show something that is not real yet but desirable or recommended.
Example:
- Es wäre gut, wenn du früher kommst. → It would be good if you came earlier.
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2. Word Order
The construction follows normal German word order:
- Main clause: Es wäre gut (verb in second position)
- Subordinate clause: wenn + Subject + ... + Verb (verb at the end)
Example:
- Es wäre gut, **wenn du früher kommst.**
Structure: [Main clause] + comma + [wenn-clause with verb at the end]
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3. Structure
- Es – dummy subject (“it”)
- wäre – Konjunktiv II form of sein (“would be”)
- gut – adjective (“good”)
- wenn – subordinating conjunction (“if”)
- Subordinate clause – describes the condition or desired situation
Example breakdown:
- Es* (it) *wäre* (would be) *gut* (good) *wenn du kommst* (if you come).
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4. Usage
Used for:
- giving polite suggestions: → Es wäre gut, wenn du mehr schläfst.
- expressing wishes or recommendations: → Es wäre gut, wenn wir morgen anfangen.
- describing hypothetical or unreal situations: → Es wäre gut, wenn das Wetter besser wäre.
In spoken German, this structure often sounds softer and more polite than using the imperative.
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5. Position in the Sentence
The phrase Es wäre gut usually appears at the **beginning** of the sentence as the main clause. However, it can also appear **after** another clause for emphasis.
Examples:
- Es wäre gut, wenn du mehr lernst.
- Wenn du mehr lernst, wäre es gut.
In both cases, the meaning stays the same, but the emphasis shifts slightly.
Created: 04 Oct 2025
Last Update: