B1-4 · One occasion, repeated occasions and simultaneous events
Memories
Tell childhood anecdotes using als, wenn and während with clear time relationships.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
One time in the past
Lea remembers her first school day. Use als for a single past occasion or a past period viewed as one stretch. That period can last years: als ich klein war. The verb in the als clause comes last.
Als ich sechs war, kam ich in die Schule.
When I was six, I started school.
Ich war aufgeregt, als ich mein Klassenzimmer zum ersten Mal sah.
I was excited when I saw my classroom for the first time.
Als der Unterricht begann, setzte ich mich neben Nora.
When the lesson began, I sat down next to Nora.
Als ich klein war, wohnte ich bei meiner Oma.
When I was little, I lived with my grandma.
English when can become als or wenn. A past tense alone is not enough to choose. Ask whether you mean one past occasion or repeated occasions. Als ich sechs war describes one period of Lea's life.
02
Every time it happened
For repeated past situations, use wenn, often with immer or jedes Mal. Lea's holidays were full of small routines. These sentences describe what happened on each occasion, rather than one particular afternoon.
Immer wenn es regnete, spielten wir drinnen.
Whenever it rained, we played indoors.
Wenn Oma zu Besuch kam, brachte sie ein Buch mit.
Whenever Grandma came to visit, she brought a book.
Jedes Mal, wenn wir im Garten spielten, versteckte mein Bruder den Ball.
Every time we played in the garden, my brother hid the ball.
Wenn wir müde waren, erzählte Oma eine Geschichte.
Whenever we were tired, Grandma told a story.
Immer wenn means whenever. Wenn also appears in present and future time clauses, but these examples stay in the past. Keep the finite verb at the end of the wenn clause.
03
Two things at the same time
Während means while when two actions overlap. It does not say which action finished first. Picture one rainy afternoon and notice what everyone was doing at the same time.
Während Oma las, malte ich ein Bild.
While Grandma read, I drew a picture.
Mein Bruder hörte zu, während Oma die Geschichte erzählte.
My brother listened while Grandma told the story.
Während draußen der Regen fiel, saßen wir im warmen Zimmer.
While the rain fell outside, we sat in the warm room.
Ich lachte, während mein Bruder ein lustiges Gesicht machte.
I laughed while my brother made a funny face.
These examples use während for time. Put the verb at the end of its clause, just as with als and wenn. After an opening während clause, the main verb comes before its subject.
Ready to try it?
Check what you remember with 12 short questions.
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