Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.
English: When it rains, I stay at home.
- Language
- German
- Level
- B2
- Unit
- Nebensätze und Satzstruktur
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Temporal clauses in German use different conjunctions to describe when something happens. These clauses add information about time, like 'when', 'after', or 'while'.
When to use it
Use these clauses to say when something happens, to talk about events that happen at the same time, before, or after another action. They are common when telling stories, talking about routines, or describing sequences.
Key forms
- wenn + Nebensatz (Verb am Ende)
- als + Nebensatz (Verb am Ende)
- während + Nebensatz (Verb am Ende)
- nachdem + Nebensatz (Verb am Ende)
- bevor + Nebensatz (Verb am Ende)
- sobald + Nebensatz (Verb am Ende)
Examples
Als ich ein Kind war, hatte ich einen Hund.
English: When I was a child, I had a dog.
Nachdem er gegessen hatte, ging er spazieren.
English: After he had eaten, he went for a walk.
Bevor wir anfangen, müssen wir alles vorbereiten.
English: Before we start, we have to prepare everything.
Während sie liest, hört sie Musik.
English: While she reads, she listens to music.
Tips
- Remember that the verb goes to the end of the subordinate clause.
- "Als" is used for single events in the past; "wenn" is for repeated events or the present/future.
- Pay attention to the tense: "nachdem" is usually followed by the past perfect (Plusquamperfekt) in the subordinate clause.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Sometimes the main clause comes first, sometimes the temporal clause. The word order changes: after the subordinate clause, the verb comes first in the main clause.