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German Grammar Guidebook

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When:

Back   Conjunctions
(6th of 6)

Three German conjunctions correspond to the English word "when."The following rules will enable you choose the right one to use.

If the words "at what time" can be substituted for "when": WANN
 

Ich möchte wissen, wann er ankommt.
I would like to know when (=at what time) he will arrive.

If the situation "when" refers to is one point or stretch in the past: ALS

Wir haben in Deutschland gewohnt, als Mary geboren war.
We were living in Germany when Mary was born.
 
Als wir im Harz waren, hatten wir viel zu tun.
When we were in the Harz, we had a lot to do.

All other uses of "when": WENN
 

Wenn wir nach Hause kommen, bringen wir unsere Freunde mit.
When we come home, we bring our friends along.

The Subordinating Conjunction als

The subordinating conjunction als, meaning "when," refers to a single point or stretch of time in the past.
 

Als ich in Deutschland war, hatte ich viele Freunde.
When I was in Germany, I had many friends.

Als may also be used with the present tense that actually refers to events in the past. This is called historical present tense and is similar in English and German.
 

Als sie ins Restaurant gehen, bittet Udo den Ober um einen Tisch am Fluß.
When they go into the restaurant, Udo asks the waiter for a table by the river.

Though the perfect is the usual tense for past time, Germans show some preference for the simple past tense forms in sentences using als, even for verbs other than sein, haben and the modals.
 

Als wir hier ankamen, schien das Jahr so lang.
When we arrived here, the year seemed so long.