Wenn wir heute absagen müssen, storniere ich die Tickets sofort.

If we have to cancel today, I will cancel the tickets immediately.

Breakdown of Wenn wir heute absagen müssen, storniere ich die Tickets sofort.

• ich: I
• wir: we
• heute: today
• müssen: must
• wenn: if
• sofort: immediately
• das Ticket: the ticket
• absagen: to cancel
• stornieren: to cancel

Questions & Answers about Wenn wir heute absagen müssen, storniere ich die Tickets sofort.

Why is müssen at the end of the first clause?

Because wenn introduces a subordinate clause, and in German subordinate clauses the (conjugated) verb goes to the end. With a modal + main verb, the main verb comes right before the modal at the end: … wir heute absagen müssen. In a main clause it would be Wir müssen heute absagen.

Why does the second clause start with storniere instead of ich?

The whole wenn-clause occupies position 1 of the sentence. German main clauses are verb‑second (V2), so the finite verb must come next (position 2), followed by the subject: …, storniere ich …. If you put the main clause first, you use normal V2: Ich storniere …, wenn …

Can I use falls instead of wenn?

Yes. falls = “in case/if” and can sound a bit more tentative or formal. Wenn is the neutral, most common choice. Both are fine here.

Could I use ob here?

No. ob means “whether/if” in indirect yes/no questions, not in conditionals. Ob wir heute absagen müssen, … means “whether we have to cancel today, …” and would need a different continuation.

Why is the present tense (storniere) used to talk about the future?

German often uses the present for future events, especially in wenn-conditionals. You can also say …, werde ich die Tickets sofort stornieren, but the simple present is natural and common.

Should I use würde like in English “I would … if …”?

Use würde for unreal or less likely conditions. Your sentence expresses a real, open possibility. A more hypothetical version is: Wenn wir heute absagen müssten, würde ich die Tickets sofort stornieren.

What’s the difference between absagen and stornieren?

• absagen: cancel an event/appointment/plan; also “to cancel on someone.”
  
  • Wir sagen das Treffen ab.
  • Ich sage dir ab. (dative person)
• stornieren: cancel a booking/order/ticket/reservation.
  
  • Ich storniere die Tickets.
    So you might absagen the meeting but stornieren the tickets.

Why is absagen written together here and not sagen … ab?

absagen is a separable-prefix verb. In main clauses you split it: Wir sagen heute ab. In subordinate clauses (after wenn, weil, dass, etc.) it stays together at the end: …, dass wir heute absagen.

Is the comma required?

Yes. German requires a comma between a subordinate clause and the main clause: …, storniere ich …. After a fronted wenn-clause, remember to invert the main clause: storniere ich, not ich storniere.

Why die Tickets and not den/das Tickets?

Tickets is plural, and the definite article for nominative and accusative plural is die. Here it’s the direct object of storniere, so accusative plural: die Tickets. Singular is das Ticket.

Can I move heute somewhere else?

Yes, but keep it natural:

• Best here: Wenn wir heute absagen müssen, …
• Also fine without it: Wenn wir absagen müssen, … Avoid Wenn wir absagen müssen heute, which sounds clumsy. In a main clause, Wir müssen heute absagen is standard.

Where can sofort go? Is the end position required?

End position is common and emphasizes immediacy: …, storniere ich die Tickets sofort. You can also say:

• …, storniere ich sofort die Tickets.
  With the main clause first:
• Ich storniere die Tickets sofort, wenn …
• Ich storniere sofort die Tickets, wenn … All are grammatical; the choice shifts emphasis slightly.

Can I start with the main clause instead?

Yes: Ich storniere die Tickets sofort, wenn wir heute absagen müssen. The meaning is the same. Word order in the main clause is then the normal Ich storniere …

What’s the difference between wenn, wann, and als?

• wenn: if/whenever; also “when” for repeated times or the future.
• wann: “when?” for (in)direct questions.
• als: “when” for a single event in the past.
  So you need wenn here.

Is gleich a good substitute for sofort?

Sometimes. sofort = immediately (unambiguous). gleich often means “in a moment/very soon” and can be less immediate or regionally ambiguous. Formal alternatives for “immediately” are umgehend or unverzüglich.

Can German drop the subject pronoun (ich)?

No. German is not a pro‑drop language. You must include subject pronouns: storniere ich, wir … müssen, etc.