Time clauses and an introduction to the past perfect
Order events using als, wenn, bevor and nachdem.
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What you will learn
Order events using als, wenn, bevor and nachdem.
Time clauses and an introduction to the past perfect
Als marks a single past event or a past period: Als ich gestern ankam, war es spät. Wenn marks repetition or a condition: Immer wenn ich frei habe, lese ich. Put the finite verb last in the time clause; when it comes first, the main verb follows it.
Bevor means the main-clause event happens earlier: Ich putze die Zähne, bevor ich schlafen gehe. With schlafen gehen, finite gehe stays at the end. Bevor does not automatically require the past perfect.
The past perfect marks an event before another past point. Form it with hatte or war plus a past participle: Ich hatte gegessen. Ich war angekommen. In Nachdem ich gegessen hatte, ging ich spazieren, eating was completed before walking. In Nachdem ich angekommen war, rief ich an, arrival came first.
Examples
Als ich gestern ankam, war es schon dunkel.
Meaning
When I arrived yesterday, it was already dark.
Immer wenn ich frei habe, gehe ich spazieren.
Meaning
Whenever I have time off, I go for a walk.
Nachdem wir gegessen hatten, gingen wir nach Hause.
Meaning
After we had eaten, we went home.
Bevor ich das Haus verließ, schloss ich das Fenster.
Meaning
Before I left the house, I closed the window.
Lesson exercises
B1 · 10
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Exercise 1 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
___ ich gestern zum ersten Mal in Bonn ankam, regnete es. (Gleichzeitigkeit bei einem einmaligen vergangenen Ereignis)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: Als
Why? Answer: Als — Use als for this single past event.
Exercise 2 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Immer ___ ich Urlaub habe, besuche ich meine Familie.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: wenn
Why? Answer: wenn — The situation repeats, so use wenn.
Exercise 3 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Nachdem ich gegessen ___, ging ich spazieren. (Plusquamperfekt)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: hatte
Why? Answer: hatte — The earlier event uses hatte or war plus a participle in the past perfect.
Exercise 4 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Nachdem wir angekommen ___, riefen wir an. (Plusquamperfekt)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: waren
Why? Answer: waren — The earlier event uses hatte or war plus a participle in the past perfect.
Exercise 5 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Zuerst schließe ich das Fenster. Dann gehe ich. → Ich schließe das Fenster, ___ ich gehe.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: bevor
Why? Answer: bevor — Bevor places the main-clause event before the subordinate-clause event.
Exercise 6 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Zuerst aß ich. Danach ging ich. → ___ ich gegessen hatte, ging ich.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: Nachdem
Why? Answer: Nachdem — The earlier event uses hatte or war plus a participle in the past perfect.
Exercise 7 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Nachdem ich gegessen hatte, ___ ich spazieren. (gehen, Präteritum)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: ging
Why? Answer: ging — The finite verb ends the subordinate clause; the main verb precedes its subject.
Exercise 8 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Ich hatte den Brief ___. (schreiben, Plusquamperfekt)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: geschrieben
Why? Answer: geschrieben — The earlier event uses hatte or war plus a participle in the past perfect.
Exercise 9 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Ich putze die Zähne, bevor ___.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: ich schlafen gehe
Why? Answer: ich schlafen gehe — The finite verb ends the subordinate clause; the main verb precedes its subject.
Exercise 10 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Nachdem Mia angekommen war, rief sie an. → Was geschah zuerst?
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: Mia kam an.
Why? Answer: Mia kam an. — The earlier event uses hatte or war plus a participle in the past perfect.
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Grammar references for further reading
Original B1 lessons, examples and exercises by WikiGerman. Study in order or choose a topic to review.