Expressing "If" and "When" with "wenn"
To express a condition ("if") or a recurring or future event ("when" / "whenever"), German uses the conjunction wenn.
| if / when (conditional, not a question word) | wenn |
Word Order: The Verb at the End
Just like dass and weil, wenn introduces a subordinate clause. This means it kicks the conjugated verb to the very end of its clause. Always place a comma between the main clause and the wenn-clause.
| The boss is often angry when we disturb him. | Der Chef ist oft wütend, wenn wir ihn stören. |
| I will resign immediately if you do not increase the salary. | Ich kündige sofort, wenn Sie das Gehalt nicht erhöhen. |
| Can you copy the document when the boss signs it? | Können Sie das Dokument kopieren, wenn der Chef es unterschreibt? |
Starting with the "wenn"-clause
When you put the wenn-clause first, that entire clause acts as the first position of your sentence. Because the verb in the main clause must stay in position two, it comes immediately after the comma. This creates a distinct "verb-comma-verb" pattern right in the middle of the sentence.
| If the colleague disturbs me, I cannot concentrate. | Wenn der Kollege mich stört, kann ich mich nicht konzentrieren. |
Notice how stört (the end of the subordinate clause) and kann (the start of the main clause) meet at the comma.
| When I work from home, I always work overtime. | Wenn ich zu Hause arbeite, mache ich immer Überstunden. |
| If we work overtime, we want more salary. | Wenn wir Überstunden machen, wollen wir mehr Gehalt. |
Multiple Verbs
If your wenn-clause uses a modal verb, you will have two verbs at the end of the clause. The rule remains the same: the conjugated verb goes to the absolute end, sitting directly after the infinitive.
| If you would like to resign, you must speak with me first. | Wenn Sie kündigen möchten, müssen Sie zuerst mit mir sprechen. |
