wenn

/vɛn/

Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.

If it rains, I stay home.

general

Introduces a conditional clause, meaning 'if' or 'when' depending on context.

Wenn du fertig bist, lass es mich wissen.

Let me know when you're finished.

Wenn ich Zeit habe, gehe ich ins Kino.

If I have time, I'll go to the cinema.

The meaning can shift between 'if' and 'when' based on context. In general, 'wenn' is used for hypothetical or future conditions, while 'falls' is used for more specific conditions.

Collocations

wenn...dannif...thenwenn aucheven ifwenn nichtif not

Synonyms

falls sofern für den Fall, dass

Antonyms

obwohl trotzdem

Related Phrases

wenn es dir nichts ausmachtphrase

if you don't mind

wenn schon, denn schonproverb

if you're going to do it, do it right

Pro Tip

Context Matters

The translation of 'wenn' as 'if' or 'when' depends on the context. Pay attention to whether the situation is hypothetical or certain.

Gold Rule

Conditional Clauses

'Wenn' is essential for forming conditional sentences in German. It is often followed by a comma in written German.

Word Origin

From Middle High German 'wenne', from Old High German 'wenne', from Proto-Germanic 'hwannē' (when).

Usage Notes

In German, 'wenn' is used to introduce conditional clauses. It can sometimes be translated as 'when' in English, especially when referring to future events that are certain to happen. For hypothetical conditions, 'wenn' is often translated as 'if'.

Word Breakdown

wenn

if/when

root

Deutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch

wenn

/vɛn/

Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.

If it rains, I stay home.

general

Introduces a conditional clause, meaning 'if' or 'when' depending on context.

Wenn du fertig bist, lass es mich wissen.

Let me know when you're finished.

Wenn ich Zeit habe, gehe ich ins Kino.

If I have time, I'll go to the cinema.

The meaning can shift between 'if' and 'when' based on context. In general, 'wenn' is used for hypothetical or future conditions, while 'falls' is used for more specific conditions.