Wann, Wenn, or Als? The German Word for 'When' That English Doesn't Have

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

English gets away with a single word, “when,” for situations German splits into three completely different words. That mismatch is exactly why wann, wenn, and als trip up learners at every level, not just beginners. The good news is the rule underneath is simpler than it looks once you stop translating from English and start asking one question instead.

What’s the difference between wann, wenn, and als in German?

Use wann for questions, wenn for repeated or general situations (and any future situation), and als for a single completed event in the past. That’s the entire rule. Everything else in this guide is just applying it to the situations where English’s single “when” makes people second-guess themselves.

Wann Wenn Als on Learn German Online: Private & Group Lessons | Germanlesson.online

Wann, Wenn, or Als? The German Word for 'When' That English Doesn't Have

What’s the difference between wann, wenn, and als in German?