Toen ik klein was, woonde ik in Amsterdam.
English: When I was little, I lived in Amsterdam.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Bijzinnen en voegwoorden
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
'Toen' is a word used in Dutch to introduce a subordinate clause (bijzin) that talks about something that happened once in the past.
When to use it
Use 'toen' when you want to talk about a specific moment or event that happened once in the past. It connects two actions, where one happened after or during the other.
Key forms
- 'Toen' + subject + rest of the clause + verb at the end
- Main clause, toen + subject + ... + verb.
Examples
Ik was blij toen ik het goede nieuws hoorde.
English: I was happy when I heard the good news.
Toen hij thuiskwam, begon het te regenen.
English: When he came home, it started to rain.
We gingen naar buiten toen de bel ging.
English: We went outside when the bell rang.
Tips
- Use 'toen' only for events that happened once in the past, not for repeated actions.
- The verb in the 'toen'-clause goes at the end of the clause.
- Do not confuse 'toen' with 'als', which is used for repeated or general situations.