Expressing "When" in the Past with "als"
To talk about a single, one-time event in the past (like graduating, moving, or starting a new job), use the conjunction als.
| when (past single event) | als |
(Note: For recurring past events—meaning "whenever"—or future conditions, use *wenn instead).*
Word Order: The Verb at the End
Like wenn, als introduces a subordinate clause. This sends the conjugated verb to the very end of its clause, separated from the main clause by a comma.
Since you are describing past events, you will often use the spoken past tense (Perfekt). The helping verb (haben or sein) is the conjugated verb, so it sits at the absolute end, right after the past participle.
| He changed companies when he lost the job. | Er hat die Firma gewechselt, als er die Arbeit verloren hat. |
| I became rich when I changed professions. | Ich wurde reich, als ich den Beruf gewechselt habe. |
To ask a question, start the main clause with the verb as usual, and keep the verb at the end of the als-clause.
| Were you happy when you finished your studies? | Hast du dich gefreut, als du dein Studium abgeschlossen hast? |
Starting with the "als"-clause
If you start your sentence with the als-clause, that entire clause takes the first position. To keep the main clause's verb in position two, it must come immediately after the comma. This creates a distinct verb-comma-verb pattern.
| When I finished my studies, I moved. | Als ich mein Studium abgeschlossen habe, bin ich umgezogen. |
Notice how the helping verb habe (at the end of the subordinate clause) and the main clause verb bin meet directly at the comma.
| When she became self-employed, there were many problems. | Als sie sich selbstständig gemacht hat, gab es viele Probleme. |
| When I started at the company, I became nervous. | Als ich bei der Firma angefangen habe, wurde ich nervös. |
