Breakdown of Als der Regenschauer vorbei war, gingen wir wieder nach draußen.
sein
to be
draußen
outside
wir
we
gehen
to go
nach
to
wieder
again
der Regenschauer
the rain shower
als
when
vorbei
over
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Questions & Answers about Als der Regenschauer vorbei war, gingen wir wieder nach draußen.
Why is als used here instead of wenn?
Als refers to a single, completed event in the past (“when the shower was over” at that one moment). Wenn is used for repeated events or general conditions (“whenever it rains…”).
Why is the verb war at the end of the subordinate clause Als der Regenschauer vorbei war?
Subordinating conjunctions like als push the finite verb to the very end of their clause. That’s why war appears after vorbei.
What exactly does vorbei war mean?
Vorbei sein is a fixed combination meaning “to be over” or “to have ended.” In Präteritum subordinate clauses you normally say vorbei war rather than war vorbei.
Why is gingen in the simple past tense here instead of the present perfect (sind gegangen)?
In written or formal narratives, German typically uses the Präteritum (simple past) for common verbs like gehen. In everyday speech you’d more often hear:
- Wir sind wieder nach draußen gegangen.
Why does the main clause begin with gingen rather than the subject wir (“Wir gingen wieder…”)?
After the comma ending the subordinate clause, a new main clause begins. German main clauses need their finite verb in the “left bracket.” If nothing else fills the first slot (the Vorfeld), the verb lands there—so gingen comes first and wir follows.
What is the function of wieder in this sentence?
Wieder means “again.” It tells us you had already been outside before the shower and, once it was over, you went outside once more.
Why is it nach draußen instead of just draußen, and could I use hinaus or raus?
- Draußen by itself is a location (adverb) – “outside.”
- Nach draußen emphasizes movement toward the outside.
You can also say: - gingen wir wieder hinaus (more formal)
- gingen wir wieder raus (colloquial)
Why is there a comma before gingen wir wieder nach draußen?
In German, you always separate a subordinate clause (introduced by als, dass, weil, etc.) from the main clause with a comma.
What does Regenschauer mean, and why is it masculine?
Regenschauer is a compound of Regen (rain) + Schauer (shower/downpour). Since Schauer is masculine (der Schauer), the whole compound remains masculine: der Regenschauer.