German wenn-Clauses: "If" and "When" with Verb-Final Word Order (A2)
Learn how wenn introduces a subordinate clause meaning "if" or "whenever," why the verb goes to the end, and how it differs from wann and als.
The conjunction wenn means either if (condition) or when / whenever (repeated time). It introduces a subordinate clause, so the conjugated verb moves to the very end:
Ich bleibe zu Hause, wenn es regnet. — I stay home if/when it rains.
Front position triggers inversion
When the wenn-clause comes first, the whole clause counts as position 1. The main clause must then start with its verb (verb-second rule), followed by the subject:
| Order | Example |
|---|---|
| Main first | Ich bleibe zu Hause, wenn es regnet. |
| Wenn first | Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause. |
Notice the comma, then verb + subject: bleibe ich, not ich bleibe.
wenn vs. wann vs. als
- wenn — if / whenever (condition or repeated event).
- wann — the question word "at what time": Wann kommst du?
- als — a single event/state in the past: Als ich klein war… (When I was little…).
English note: English uses "when" for all three, so decide by meaning: a question → wann; one past event → als; otherwise → wenn.
Examples
Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.
When/If it rains, I stay at home.
Ich lese ein Buch, wenn ich Zeit habe.
I read a book when(ever) I have time.
Wenn der Vater nach Hause kommt, spielt das Kind mit dem Hund.
When the father comes home, the child plays with the dog.
Weißt du, wann der Zug kommt?
Do you know when the train comes?
Common mistakes
A front wenn-clause fills the first position, so the main-clause verb must come immediately next (verb-second), then the subject: bleibe ich.
For an indirect or direct question about time (at what time), use the question word wann, not the conditional/temporal wenn.
For a single, completed event or state in the past (when I was a child), German uses als, not wenn.
Related topics
Practice
Ich bleibe zu Hause, wenn es ___.
Wenn ich Zeit habe, ___ ich ein Buch.
___ ich klein war, wohnte ich in Berlin.