nicht nur...sondern auch

Not Only...But Also

Level 3

The pattern nicht nur... sondern auch (not only... but also) connects two parallel parts of a sentence. It adds emphasis to the second part, making it feel like a 'bonus' or a more important fact.

How It Works

The expression nicht nur... sondern auch links words, phrases, or clauses.

1. Syntax and Word Order:

  • Position 0: The word sondern is a coordinating conjunction in 'Position 0', meaning it does not change the word order of the following clause.
  • Sentence Start: If Nicht nur modifies the whole clause (acting as an adverbial), inversion occurs: Nicht nur hat er.... However, if it only modifies the subject, the verb stays in its usual position: Nicht nur er hat...
  • Placement of 'auch': While often paired as sondern auch, auch can move further into the sentence for emphasis.

2. Parallelism:
The linked elements must be grammatically identical. If you link two nouns in the accusative case, both must be accusative. If you use attributive adjectives, both need endings; if they are predicative, neither takes an ending.

3. Nuance:
This pattern creates a climax. The first part is the 'expected' info, and the second part is the 'extra' or 'surprising' info.

Examples (4)

  1. Er ist nicht nur freundlich, sondern auch sehr hilfsbereit.

    He is not only friendly, but also very helpful.

    Word by Word: He is not only friendly, but also very help-ready.

    Here, the pattern links two adjectives. Since they are predicative adjectives, they do not take endings.

  2. Nicht nur hat sie den Kuchen gebacken, sondern sie hat auch die Wohnung geputzt.

    Not only did she bake the cake, but she also cleaned the apartment.

    Word by Word: Not only has she the cake baked, but she has also the apartment cleaned.

    When 'Nicht nur' modifies the entire first clause, the verb 'hat' moves to the second position due to V2 inversion.

  3. Nicht nur meine Mutter kommt zur Party, sondern auch mein Vater.

    Not only my mother is coming to the party, but also my father.

    Word by Word: Not only my mother comes to the party, but also my father.

    When 'Nicht nur' modifies the subject, the standard word order remains: the subject (Nicht nur meine Mutter) is in Position 1 and the verb (kommt) is in Position 2.

  4. Wir reisen nicht nur nach Berlin, sondern auch nach Wien.

    We are traveling not only to Berlin, but also to Vienna.

    Word by Word: We travel not only to Berlin, but also to Vienna.

    This example shows the pattern linking two prepositional phrases.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the mandatory comma before 'sondern'.

    Ich lerne nicht nur Deutsch sondern auch Japanisch.
    Ich lerne nicht nur Deutsch, sondern auch Japanisch.

    In German, a comma is always required before 'sondern' when it connects two parts of a sentence.

  • Using 'aber' instead of 'sondern'.

    Nicht nur heute, aber auch morgen.
    Nicht nur heute, sondern auch morgen.

    After 'nicht nur', the standard partner is 'sondern auch', which adds a second idea. 'Aber' is for general contrasts.

  • Applying adjective endings to predicative adjectives.

    Der Film ist nicht nur spannende, sondern auch interessante.
    Der Film ist nicht nur spannend, sondern auch interessant.

    When adjectives follow a verb like 'sein' (predicative use), they do not take endings. Endings are only needed when the adjective comes directly before a noun.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

nicht nur...sondern auchLevel 3Not Only...But Also

Learn This First

To understand 'nicht nur... sondern auch', you first need to be familiar with basic negation using 'nicht' and the additive particle 'auch'. Since this pattern acts as a correlative conjunction, familiarity with how basic coordinating conjunctions link words or phrases is also essential.

Words in This Pattern