Breakdown of Wenn ein Sturm kommt, dauert die Fahrt oft viel länger.
kommen
to come
lang
long
oft
often
viel
much
Questions & Answers about Wenn ein Sturm kommt, dauert die Fahrt oft viel länger.
What does wenn mean in this sentence, and how is it different from als or falls?
- Here wenn introduces a conditional or recurring situation: “Whenever a storm comes…”.
- als is used for a single event in the past (e.g. Als der Sturm kam, blieb ich zuhause).
- falls expresses a hypothetical or less certain condition (e.g. Falls ein Sturm kommt, bleibe ich zuhause).
Why is kommt placed at the end of the clause Wenn ein Sturm kommt?
Because wenn is a subordinating conjunction. In German subordinate clauses, the finite verb moves to the very end. So you get: Wenn + subject/object + other elements + finite verb.
Why does dauert appear right after the comma in the main clause?
After a subordinate clause, the main clause follows normal word order: the finite verb occupies the second position. Here the first position is the entire subordinate clause (Wenn ein Sturm kommt), so dauert comes next.
What is the role and gender of die Fahrt in this sentence?
- die Fahrt is feminine (die).
- It functions as the subject of the main clause (“the journey/ride lasts…”).
- You could translate it as “the trip,” “the ride,” or “the journey,” depending on context.