Breakdown of Seitdem ich die Rente bekomme, habe ich viel Freizeit.
ich
I
haben
to have
viel
much / a lot
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
Questions & Answers about Seitdem ich die Rente bekomme, habe ich viel Freizeit.
Why is bekomme at the end of the first part, and habe right after the comma?
Seitdem is a subordinating conjunction, which means it kicks the verb (bekomme) to the very end of its clause. The entire seitdem clause acts as the first "block" of information in the sentence. Because German sentences need the main verb in the second position, the verb of the main clause (habe) must come right after the comma.
The English translation says "started getting", but bekomme is in the present tense. Why?
In German, if an action started in the past and is still happening now, you use seit or seitdem with the present tense. Since the person is still receiving their pension, German uses the present tense bekomme. English usually uses the past or present perfect ("have been getting") for this, so you have to shift your thinking a bit when translating!
Could I just use seit instead of seitdem here?
Yes, absolutely! When linking two full clauses like this, seit and seitdem mean the exact same thing and both send the verb to the end. Seitdem is just slightly more emphatic, similar to saying "ever since" instead of just "since".
Is die Rente the only word for a pension in German?
Die Rente is the standard word for a regular state pension. You might also recognize the word die Pension, but in Germany, that is a specific type of pension mostly reserved for retired civil servants, such as police officers, judges, or state-employed teachers.