[SOC] German...AAAAAAGH!

[Richard Brunner]

Re:
"> My problem is with the words 'wenn' and 'wann'. My dictionary says 'wenn'
> means 'if', but my
> son's school book also uses it as 'when', when you use it in the middle of
a
> sentence ( like I just accidentally did)."

As I understand it:
Als, wenn, and wann are all equivalents to English "when," but they are not
interchangable.  Als is used to introduce a clause concerned with a single
event in the past.  Wenn is used to introduce a clause concerned with
repeated events (whenever) or possibilities (if) in past time.  Wenn is used
also for single or repeated events in present or future time.  Wann is used
to introduce direct and indirect questions.  Klar?  Zum Beispiel :
(examples)

Als Paula gestern in Hamburg war, ging sie ins Theater.  When Paula was in
Hamburg yesterday, she went to the theater.

Wenn Erik in Hamburg war, ging er jeden Tag ins Theater.   When (whenever,
if) Erik was in Hamburg, he went to the theater every day.

Wenn  Renate in Hamburg ist, geht sie viel ins Kino.  When (whenever, if)
Renate is in Hamburg, she goes to the theater a lot.

Wann gehen wir ins Kino?   When are we going to the movies?

Ich wei� nicht, wann wir ins Kino gehen.   I don't know when we're going to
the movies.

Tsch��/Cheers
Richard Brunner, AA1P