Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen, bevor die Klassenarbeit begann.

Yesterday I had already had a headache before the test started.

Breakdown of Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen, bevor die Klassenarbeit begann.

• ich: I
• haben: to have
• Gestern: yesterday
• schon: already
• beginnen: to begin
• bevor: before
• der Kopfschmerz: the headache
• die Klassenarbeit: the test

Questions & Answers about Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen, bevor die Klassenarbeit begann.

Why does the sentence start with Gestern hatte ich … instead of Ich hatte gestern …? Are both correct?

Both are correct. German has flexible word order for elements like time, manner, and place.

• Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen, …
  – Emphasis is a bit more on “yesterday” as the time frame.

• Ich hatte gestern schon Kopfschmerzen, …
  – Emphasis is a bit more on “I had” (the state of me having a headache), with gestern just giving extra information.

In both cases, German keeps the verb in second position in the main clause:

• Gestern (1st position) – hatte (2nd position) – ich …
• Ich (1st position) – hatte (2nd position) – gestern …

So the choice is mostly about style and emphasis, not grammar correctness.

Why is it hatte and begann instead of something with haben like habe gehabt or hat begonnen?

Hatte and begann are the simple past (Präteritum) forms:

• hatte = had
• begann = began

In German:

• The simple past is very common in written language and narration (stories, reports, essays).
• The present perfect (Perfekt, e.g. ich habe gehabt, die Klassenarbeit hat begonnen) is more common in spoken everyday German, especially in southern regions.

For this kind of written-sounding sentence, simple past is completely natural:

• Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen, bevor die Klassenarbeit begann.
  sounds like a narrative or a written report.

You could say in spoken German:

• Gestern habe ich schon Kopfschmerzen gehabt, bevor die Klassenarbeit angefangen/ begonnen hat.
  but it feels more like casual speech and is a bit heavier stylistically.

What does schon add here? Can I leave it out?

Schon here means “already” and adds the idea that the headache started earlier than expected or earlier than some other event.

• With schon:
  Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen, bevor die Klassenarbeit begann.
  → I already had a headache before the test even started (maybe the test made it worse, or you expected it only during/after).

• Without schon:
  Gestern hatte ich Kopfschmerzen, bevor die Klassenarbeit begann.
  → Just states the time relation (headache was before the test) without the extra nuance of “earlier than one might think”.

So schon is not required grammatically, but it adds a natural, conversational nuance.

Why is it Kopfschmerzen (plural) and not a singular word like English “a headache”?

Many German words for pain are normally used in the plural:

• Kopfschmerzen – headache(s)
• Bauchschmerzen – stomach ache
• Rückenschmerzen – back pain

To say “I have a headache”, you usually say:

• Ich habe Kopfschmerzen. (literally “I have headaches.”)

A singular form Kopfschmerz exists, but it is:

• rare in everyday speech
• mostly used in medical or very formal contexts.

So Kopfschmerzen is the standard, natural way to express “a headache” in daily German.

Could I say Ich hatte Kopfschmerzen schon instead of Ich hatte schon Kopfschmerzen?

No, Ich hatte Kopfschmerzen schon is not normal word order.

The typical placement of schon (as an adverb) is:

• Ich hatte schon Kopfschmerzen.
• Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen.

Position rule (simplified):
In a main clause, schon usually comes after the conjugated verb and often before the direct object or predicate noun:

• hatte schon Kopfschmerzen
  Verb – adverb – complement

Putting schon at the very end sounds wrong or at least very unusual in standard German for this sentence.

What’s the difference between bevor and vor here? Why can’t I just say vor?

Bevor and vor are different types of words:

• Bevor = subordinating conjunction (“before” introducing a clause)

  • Must be followed by a full sentence with a verb at the end:
    • bevor die Klassenarbeit begann

• Vor = preposition (“before” in the sense of “in front of / before in time”), followed by a noun (or noun phrase):

  • vor der Klassenarbeit – before the test
  • vor dem Essen – before the meal

So:

• Correct:
  … bevor die Klassenarbeit begann. (before the test began – full clause)
  … vor der Klassenarbeit. (before the test – noun phrase)

You cannot say
… vor die Klassenarbeit begann. – that mixes preposition + clause, and is ungrammatical.

What happens to the word order after bevor? Why is it bevor die Klassenarbeit begann and not bevor die Klassenarbeit begann hat or something similar?

Bevor introduces a subordinate clause. In German subordinate clauses:

• the finite verb (the conjugated verb) goes to the end of the clause.

So:

• bevor die Klassenarbeit begann
  subject (die Klassenarbeit) + verb (begann) at the end.

You would not say:

• ✗ bevor die Klassenarbeit hat begonnen in standard written German with bevor.
  If you use Perfekt in a subordinate clause, the auxiliary still goes to the end:
  • bevor die Klassenarbeit begonnen hat.

So correct patterns are:

• bevor die Klassenarbeit begann (simple past)
• bevor die Klassenarbeit begonnen hat (present perfect, still verb-final)

Why is it die Klassenarbeit? Is “class test” always feminine in German?

Yes, Klassenarbeit is a feminine noun, so its article is:

• die Klassenarbeit (nominative singular)
• der Klassenarbeit (genitive or dative singular, depending on case)
• die Klassenarbeiten (nominative/accusative plural)

Gender in German is mostly lexical (you just have to learn it with each noun). There is no logical reason why it is feminine; it’s just part of the word’s dictionary entry:

• die Klassenarbeit – class test (usually written)
• der Test – test (masculine)
• die Prüfung – exam (feminine)
• das Examen – exam (neuter, often more formal/academic)

Is Klassenarbeit exactly the same as “test” or “exam” in English?

Not exactly; it has a more specific school context.

• Klassenarbeit:
  – Typically a written test in a school class (especially in German schools)
  – Planned in advance, usually longer and more important than a quick quiz.

Other German words:

• Test: very general, can be short; “quiz/test”
• Prüfung: “exam,” often bigger and more formal (final exams, entrance exams)
• Klassenarbeit: specifically a school class’s written test (e.g. a math test in 7th grade).

So Klassenarbeit would often be translated as “class test” or just “test” when the school context is clear.

Can I also say Bevor die Klassenarbeit begann, hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen? Does moving the clause change the meaning?

Yes, that’s perfectly correct:

• Bevor die Klassenarbeit begann, hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen.

German allows you to put the subordinate clause first. The meaning does not change; you just change the flow and rhythm.

Word order rules:

• If you start with the subordinate clause, the verb of the main clause must still be in second position of the main clause:
  • Bevor die Klassenarbeit begann, hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen.
    [subordinate clause] , [main clause: verb 2nd = hatte]

Could I say Kopfweh instead of Kopfschmerzen here?

You can, but there are nuances:

• Kopfschmerzen
  – Standard, neutral, most common in Germany.
  – Suitable in both everyday and formal contexts.

• Kopfweh
  – More colloquial and often regional (heard more in Austria and southern Germany).
  – Sounds more informal.

So:

• Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfschmerzen, bevor die Klassenarbeit begann. – very standard
• Gestern hatte ich schon Kopfweh, bevor die Klassenarbeit begann. – informal/colloquial, but understandable.