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What is the Difference between "als", "wenn" and "wann" in German?

Jan 26, 20216 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

One of the biggest challenges for German learners is understanding when to use "als" and "wenn", since both translate as "when" in English. However, they are not interchangeable!

The difference between "als" and "wenn" depends on:

✅ Whether the event happens once or repeatedly

✅ Whether the event is in the past, present, or future

✅ Whether the sentence expresses a condition

Let’s break it down step by step with clear rules, examples, and common mistakes to avoid.

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There are a few subordinate clause conjunctions that students find difficult to use, but the conjunctions "als" and "wenn" are widely considered to be particularly confusing and often confused with the question word "wann". While all three might be translated as 'when' into English, they’re used completely differently. Getting them right is crucial for conveying the correct meaning in conversations and writing. In this blog post, I will explain the grammatical differences between them and how they need to be used.

1. "Als" – For Single Events in the Past

"Als" is used when talking about a single event in the past. It refers to something that happened once and is not repeated.

📍 Examples:

Als ich ein Kind war, wohnte ich in Deutschland. (When I was a child, I lived in Germany)
Er hat mich angerufen, als ich gerade aus dem Haus ging. (He called me when I was just leaving the house.)
Als die Mauer fiel, war ich noch nicht geboren.(When the Berlin Wall fell, I wasn’t born yet.)
Ich verließ das Haus, als es anfing zu regnen. (I left the house, when it started to rain)
Als ich gestern nach Hause kam, war es schon dunkel. (When I came home yesterday, it was already dark.)

💡 Key takeaway: Use "als" when describing a specific event in the past.

Since "als" is used in the past, you might want to brush up on your Perfekt tense, Präteritum and Plusquamperfekt rules in German and revise the three past tenses in the language.

2. "Wenn" – For Repeated Events, Future Events, and Conditions

"Wenn" is used in three main ways:

✅ a) Repeated Events in the Past

If something happened multiple times in the past, use "wenn" instead of "also."

📍 Examples:

Wenn wir nach Italien reisten, besuchten wir immer Rom.(Whenever we traveled to Italy, we always visited Rome.)
Wenn es im Winter kalt war, machten wir ein Feuer.(Whenever it was cold in winter, we made a fire.)

💡 Rule: Use "wenn" when something happened repeatedly in the past.

✅ b) Present and Future Events

"Wenn" is also used to talk about events in the present and future.

📍 Examples:

Wenn ich Zeit habe, besuche ich dich.(When I have time, I'll visit you.)
Wenn du möchtest, können wir ins Kino gehen.(If you want, we can go to the cinema.)

💡 Rule: Use "wenn" instead of "als" for events in the present and future.

✅ c) Conditional Sentences ("If" Clauses)

In German, "wenn" is also used to mean "if", especially in conditional sentences.

📍 Examples:

Wenn du Hilfe brauchst, sag mir Bescheid!(If you need help, let me know!)
Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause. (If it rains, I stay at home.)
Wenn du dein Deutsch verbessern möchtest, musst du regelmäßig üben. (If you want to improve your German, you have to practice regularly)

💡 Rule: Use "wenn" instead of "falls" when talking about likely conditions.

"Als" is used for completed actions and hence in the past, whereas "wenn" is used for recurring events, irrespective of the tense, so when something happens repeatedly or habitually or in conditional sentences. That is, when something happens under a specific condition (similar to "if" in English). Often, teachers say that "wenn" cannot be used in the past. This is incorrect. The main usage of "wenn" in the past is in the German subjunctive (Konjunktiv 2).

Wenn ich früher mehr Vokabeln gelernt gelernt hätte, wäre mein Griechisch heute besser.

(If I had studied more vocabulary earlier, my Greek would be better today)

3. Word Order in Sentences with "Als" and "Wenn"

Both "als" and "wenn" are subordinating conjunctions, meaning they introduce subordinate clauses. This means that the verb moves to the end of the clause.

📍 Examples:

With "als":

Als ich nach Hause kam, war es schon dunkel.
(When I came home, it was already dark.)

With "wenn":

Wenn ich nach Hause komme, koche ich Abendessen.
(When I come home, I cook dinner.)

💡 Rule: When "als" or "wenn" start a sentence, the main clause follows with inverted word order (verb before subject).

4. "Als" vs. "Wenn" – Common Mistakes to Avoid

🚫 Mistake 1: Using "als" for repeated past events

❌ Als wir nach Berlin fuhren, besuchten wir immer das Brandenburger Tor.

✔ Correct: Wenn wir nach Berlin fuhren, besuchten wir immer das Brandenburger Tor.(Whenever we went to Berlin, we always visited the Brandenburg Gate.)

🚫 Mistake 2: Using "wenn" for a single past event

❌ Wenn ich 18 Jahre alt war, machte ich meinen Führerschein.

✔ Correct: Als ich 18 Jahre alt war, machte ich meinen Führerschein.(When I was 18 years old, I got my driver’s license.)

🚫 Mistake 3: Using "als" for future events

❌ Als ich Zeit habe, besuche ich dich.

✔ Correct: Wenn ich Zeit habe, besuche ich dich.(When I have time, I'll visit you.)

💡 Tip: If you’re talking about a single past event, use "als." For repeated past events, future events, or conditions, use "wenn."

5. Summary Table: "Als" vs. "Wenn"

Usage	Als	Wenn
Single past event	✅ Als ich in Paris war, habe ich den Eiffelturm gesehen. (When I was in Paris, I saw the Eiffel Tower.)	❌ Incorrect
Repeated past events	❌ Incorrect	✅ Wenn ich in Paris war, habe ich immer den Eiffelturm gesehen. (Whenever I was in Paris, I always saw the Eiffel Tower.)
Future events	❌ Incorrect	✅ Wenn ich nach Paris fahre, besuche ich den Eiffelturm. (When I go to Paris, I'll visit the Eiffel Tower.)
Conditional statements	❌ Incorrect	✅ Wenn es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause. (If it rains, we stay home.)

6. Recap– Mastering "Als" and "Wenn"

Now that you know the key differences between "als" and "wenn," you can use them confidently!

💡 Quick Recap:

✔ Use "als" for single past events (Als ich jung war...)

✔ Use "wenn" for repeated past events, future events, and conditions (Wenn ich Zeit have...)

Understanding the differences between "wenn," "als," and "wann" is essential for mastering German. Each word has a specific context in which it is used, and mixing them up can lead to confusion or misunderstandings. By practising with examples and keeping these rules in mind, you'll be able to use each one correctly and confidently. Since practice makes perfect, we have developed some exercises on the German words als, wenn, and wann for you.

For English native speakers who try to translate the English "when" into German, another word further confuses matters: "wann." However, "wann" can, in fact, only be used in questions and is, therefore, quite different from the subordinate clause conjunctions "als" and "wenn."

7. Using Wann- Direct and Indirect Questions

"Wann" is used when asking questions about time, both in direct questions (e.g., "When will you arrive?") and indirect questions (e.g., "I don’t know when he will arrive"). It is not used for conditions or repeated events.

📍 Examples:

Direct questions:
Wann kommst du nach Hause?

(When are you coming home?)

Wann beginnt dein Deutschunterricht?
(When does your German lesson begin?)

Indirect question:
Ich weiß nicht, wann er ankommt.
(I don’t know when he will arrive.)
Ich frage mich, wann dein Deutschunterricht beginnt.
(I wonder when your German lesson begins)

"Wann" directly inquires about the time something happens or will happen. And since it's a question word, the conjugated verb must be second in German. However, "wann" can also be used in indirect questions which subordinate, i.e. send the conjugated verb to the end. Grammatically, it is still a question word, though, whereas "als" and "wenn" are not.

The differences between language levels A1 to C2