The beauty of the German language lies in its precision, and nowhere is this more evident than in the way it handles time. When someone asks you "Wann?" in German, they're opening the door to a world where time is structured, orderly, and full of possibilities.
Imagine you're at a cozy café in Berlin, and your friend asks, "Wann treffen wir uns?" which means "When are we meeting?" How you answer will depend on the exact time you have in mind. If you plan to meet at 3 PM, you might say, "Um drei Uhr," with "um" being the key word that translates to "at" in English. The clock time follows, giving a sense of specificity and punctuality that Germans are known for.
But not all "when" questions are about the clock ticking on the wall. Let's say your friend is curious about your upcoming vacation and asks, "Wann fährst du nach Spanien?" which translates to "When are you going to Spain?" Here, you might answer, "Im September," meaning "in September." The preposition "im" comes from the contraction of "in dem," used when talking about months or seasons. It’s like telling time on a larger, more relaxed scale, perfect for planning that trip to the sunny beaches of Spain.
There are times when "when" questions dive into the past. Picture yourself recounting a memory, and someone asks, "Wann hast du angefangen, Deutsch zu lernen?" or "When did you start learning German?" Your answer could be "Vor zwei Jahren," meaning "two years ago." The word "vor" is a versatile little preposition that works beautifully when speaking of time in the past, bringing a sense of distance and history into the conversation.
In other instances, the answer to a "when" question isn't about a specific time but rather about the conditions or events that trigger something else. Suppose you're talking about when you usually go running, and a friend asks, "Wann gehst du normalerweise joggen?" or "When do you usually go jogging?" You might respond, "Wenn das Wetter schön ist," which translates to "When the weather is nice." Here, "wenn" steps in, a word that’s as flexible as a rubber band, bending to fit moments in the future or habitual actions depending on the context.
Answering "when" questions in German also sometimes involves linking two parts of a sentence. Perhaps you're describing a routine, like when you typically wake up, and you say, "Ich stehe auf, wenn der Wecker klingelt," meaning "I get up when the alarm rings." In this case, "wenn" is again your go-to word, seamlessly connecting the action with its trigger, making your sentence feel as natural as your morning routine.
And then there’s that special way of answering "when" questions that add a touch of storytelling. Imagine you're recalling an adventure, and someone asks, "Wann warst du das erste Mal in den Alpen?" or "When were you in the Alps for the first time?" You might say, "Als ich 15 Jahre alt war," meaning "When I was 15 years old." The word "als" is used when talking about a specific event in the past, almost like opening an old photo album where each picture tells a story.
Each answer to a "when-question" in German is like a brushstroke in a painting, with "um," "im," "vor," "wenn," and "als" adding color and detail to your conversation. Whether you're speaking of a future event, a past memory, or an everyday routine, these words help you navigate the landscape of time with ease and confidence. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel, like slipping into the rhythm of a well-loved song.