The N Stays Before Punctuation

Level 3

The n-rule drops a final n before most consonants. But before a punctuation mark, the n always stays: Mir wollte froen, wéini et ufänkt. Ech ginn elo schlofen.

How It Works

1. The rule
The n-rule looks at the first sound of the next word. When a punctuation mark comes first, there is no next word to look at, so the n is always written:

  • Mir wollte froen, wéini et ufänkt. (We wanted to ask when it starts.)
  • Ech ginn elo schlofen. (I am going to sleep now.)
  • Wëlls du mat eis iessen? (Do you want to eat with us?)

2. Which marks count
The full stop, comma, semicolon, colon, question mark, exclamation mark, brackets and dashes. The n also stays before a slash: Kolleeginnen/Kolleegen.

3. Even when you do not hear it
In speech, people often run the words together and drop the n. The spelling still writes it, because the rule for writing follows the punctuation.

4. Compare the same word

  • Mir kommen, wa mer Zäit hunn. (n before the comma)
  • Mir komme muer. (n drops before m)

This is why a verb at the end of a clause keeps its n before the comma of the next clause. See the verb at the end of subordinate clauses.

5. What does not count
Quotation marks and italics do not stop the rule: the n-rule applies with the quoted word. Before a hyphen, the rule looks at the word after the hyphen. Only real punctuation marks always keep the n. When you quote a word to talk about the word itself, you may keep its n so that it stays recognisable: D'Verb „béien“ kritt e ge- am Partizip.

Examples (5)

  1. Mir wollte froen, wéini et ufänkt.

    We wanted to ask when it starts.

    Froen keeps its n before the comma. Wollten loses its n before f.

  2. Ech ginn elo schlofen.

    I'm going to sleep now.

    Schlofen keeps its n before the full stop.

  3. Wëlls du mat eis iessen?

    Do you want to eat with us?

    Iessen keeps its n before the question mark.

  4. Mir kommen, wa mer Zäit hunn.

    We'll come if we have time.

    Kommen keeps its n before the comma, while wann loses it before mer.

  5. Mir brauchen: Mëllech, Brout a Botter.

    We need milk, bread and butter.

    Brauchen keeps its n before the colon.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the n before a comma.

    Mir wollte froe, wéini et ufänkt.
    Mir wollte froen, wéini et ufänkt.

    Before a punctuation mark, the n is always written, whatever word comes next.

  • Dropping the n at the end of a sentence.

    Ech ginn elo schlofe.
    Ech ginn elo schlofen.

    A full stop also counts as punctuation, so the final n stays.

  • Applying the n-rule across a comma.

    Mir komme, wa mer Zäit hunn.
    Mir kommen, wa mer Zäit hunn.

    The w after the comma does not matter. The comma itself keeps the n of kommen.

How It Connects

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

The N Stays Before PunctuationLevel 3

Learn This First

Before The N Stays Before Punctuation, learn The N-Rule With Verbs and Pronouns.