Breakdown of Wenn die Frist kurz ist, müssen wir uns konzentrieren.
sein
to be
wir
we
müssen
to have to, must
kurz
shortly / short
wenn
if / when (conditional, not a question word)
sich konzentrieren
to concentrate
die Frist
the deadline
Questions & Answers about Wenn die Frist kurz ist, müssen wir uns konzentrieren.
Does wenn mean "when" or "if" in this sentence?
It can mean both! Wenn is used for conditions ("if") and for events in the present or future ("when" or "whenever"). Depending on the exact context, "If the deadline is short" and "When the deadline is short" both translate to this exact same German sentence.
Why is the verb ist at the very end of the first part?
The word wenn is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause and "kicks" the conjugated verb (ist) all the way to the end of that clause, right before the comma.
Why does the second part start with müssen instead of wir?
In a standard German sentence, the conjugated verb must be in the second position. Here, the entire wenn clause acts as the first position or "block" of the sentence. Because of this, the verb müssen has to come immediately after the comma to take the second position. This creates a very common German pattern where two verbs sit right next to each other across a comma.
Why is the word uns in the second half?
The verb for "to concentrate" is reflexive in German: sich konzentrieren. This means you literally have to say that you concentrate yourself. Since the subject is wir (we), the matching reflexive pronoun is uns (ourselves).
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