Subordinating Conjunction - wenn

In German, wenn is a subordinating conjunction. That sounds like a big, scary term, right? Don't worry. It just means wenn starts a secondary clause. This clause cannot stand all by itself. It needs a main clause to make sense. But here is the catch: wenn is a "verb kicker." In a normal German sentence, the verb likes to be in second place. When wenn shows up, it kicks the conjugated verb to the very end. Think of the verb as a soccer ball. wenn is the star player who boots it to the goal line. This happens every single time. It doesn't matter if the sentence is long or short. The verb always takes the last seat on the bus. Yes, even native speakers sometimes have to wait a beat to hear the verb! It is like a grammar traffic light that makes you slow down and wait for the finish.

1. 1There are two main ways to build a sentence with wenn.
2. 2The Standard Way: Main Clause + wenn Clause.
3. 3Start with your main thought: Ich bleibe zu Hause (I am staying home).
4. 4Add a comma. German is very strict about commas!
5. 5Add wenn and your subject: wenn es...
6. 6Put the verb at the very end: regnet.
7. 7Full sentence: Ich bleibe zu Hause, wenn es regnet.
8. 8The Inverted Way: wenn Clause + Main Clause.
9. 9Start with wenn: Wenn es regnet...
10. 10Put the verb at the end of that part: ...regnet.
11. 11Add a comma.
12. 12Immediately put the verb of the next part: bleibe.
13. 13Add the subject and the rest: ich zu Hause.
14. 14Full sentence: Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.
15. 15Notice the "verb-comma-verb" pattern in the second version? It is the secret sauce. The two verbs want to be neighbors, separated only by that tiny comma.

Use wenn for conditions. This is the classic "If X, then Y" scenario.

• Scenario: Ordering food. Ich nehme den Salat, wenn er frisch ist. (I’ll take the salad if it’s fresh.)
• Scenario: Job interview. Ich freue mich, wenn ich die Stelle bekomme. (I'm happy if I get the job.)

Use wenn for repeated events. Think of it as "whenever."

• Scenario: Daily habits. Wenn ich morgens aufstehe, trinke ich Kaffee. (Whenever I get up in the morning, I drink coffee.)

Use wenn for certain events in the future.

• Scenario: Making plans. Ich rufe dich an, wenn ich fertig bin. (I'll call you when/if I'm finished.)

It works for anything that hasn't happened yet or happens all the time. It is a very busy little word!

This is where many people trip up. Do not use wenn for questions. If you want to ask "At what time?", use wann.

• Wrong: Ich weiß nicht, wenn der Bus kommt.
• Right: Ich weiß nicht, wann der Bus kommt.

Do not use wenn for a single, specific event in the past. If it happened once in 1998, you need als.

• Scenario: Moving to Berlin. Als ich nach Berlin zog, war ich 20. (When I moved to Berlin, I was 20.)

Do not use wenn for "whether" or "if" in a yes/no choice. Use ob.

• Scenario: Asking a friend. Ich frage ihn, ob er Pizza mag. (I'll ask him if/whether he likes pizza.)

1. 1The Verb Trap: Forgetting to kick the verb to the end.

• ✗ Ich komme, wenn ich habe Zeit.
• ✓ Ich komme, wenn ich Zeit habe.

1. 1The Comma Ghost: Leaving out the comma. In German, no comma means no peace. Always put a comma before or after the wenn clause.

1. 1The Verb-Comma-Verb Fail: When starting with wenn, learners often forget to put the second verb right after the comma.

• ✗ Wenn es regnet, ich bleibe zu Hause.
• ✓ Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.

1. 1Mixing up wenn and als: Remember, als is for the "one-time past." wenn is for "any other time."

Let's clear the air between the "W" words.

• wann: The Time Seeker. Only use it for questions or times. "When is the party?"
• ob: The Choice Maker. Use it for "if" when the answer is yes or no. "I don't know if he's coming."
• als: The Time Traveler. Use it only for single events in the past. "When I was a kid..."
• wenn: The Condition Boss. Use it for "if" and "whenever."

Think of wann as a clock, ob as a fork in the road, als as a single old photo, and wenn as a recurring calendar event.