german_sentence_builder

There is only one exception to that rule. When a double infinitive structure is part of the
sentence introduced by a subordinating conjunction, the auxiliary verb will precede the double
infinitive. This occurs, of course, with modal auxiliaries and certain other verbs such as helfen,
hören, lassen, and sehen (to help, to hear, to get or to have done, to see). With modal auxiliaries,
for example:
..., weil sie uns wird einladen müssen. . . . , because she will have to invite us.
..., weil er mit dir hatte fahren wollen. . . . , because he had wanted to drive with you.
The same kind of word order occurs with helfen, hören, lassen, and sehen. For example:
..., weil Tina mir wird kochen helfen. . . . , because Tina will help me cook.
..., weil ich es habe reparieren lassen. . . . , because I have had it repaired.
When as a conjunction
You need to consider the conjunction when carefully. Although English uses the same conjunction
for three different functions, German does not. There are three distinct German words, one
for each function.
When using when to ask a question, the German interrogative is wann:
Wann kommen die Gäste morgen?
Bis wann kann ich vorbeikommen?
Seit wann wohnt Lukas in Bremen?
The brief response to a wann-question can include wann:
Ich weiß nicht wann.
When are the guests coming tomorrow?
Until what time can I drop by?
How long has Lukas been living in Bremen?
I don’t know when.
In general, however, responses to a wann-question in the present tense require wenn:
Wann sind die Straßen naß?
Die Straßen sind naß, wenn es regnet.
When are the streets wet?
The streets are wet when it rains.
When using when to mean whenever, the German conjunction is again wenn, a subordinating
conjunction:
Wenn wir nach Bonn kommen, besuchen
wir unsere Tante.
Wenn Sie sich erst einmal eingearbeitet
haben, werden Sie unsere Ziele besser
verstehen.
Wenn es Sommer wird, schwimmen wir
jeden Tag.
When(ever) we come to Bonn, we visit our
aunt.
When you’ve had a chance to get used to the
job, you’ll understand our goals better.
When summer comes, we’ll go swimming
every day.
When using when in a past tense sentence, the German conjunction is als, also a subordinating
conjunction:
Als er ankam, sah er Maria vor dem Haus
stehen.
Es fing an zu regnen, als wir zum Garten
gehen wollten.
Gerade als Erik hier war, wurde meine
Schwester krank.
When he arrived, he saw Maria standing in
front of the house.
It began to rain when we wanted to go to the
garden.
Just when Erik was here, my sister got sick.
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