Nawet wtedy, gdy pada deszcz, dzieci bawią się na placu zabaw.

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Breakdown of Nawet wtedy, gdy pada deszcz, dzieci bawią się na placu zabaw.

• na: at
• padać: to rain
• deszcz: the rain

Questions & Answers about Nawet wtedy, gdy pada deszcz, dzieci bawią się na placu zabaw.

What does nawet wtedy, gdy mean as a whole?

It means even when or more literally even then, when.

• nawet = even
• wtedy = then / at that time
• gdy = when

So the structure is a bit more expanded than English. Polish often uses wtedy, gdy... to mean when..., especially when it wants to sound a little more explicit or formal.

A simpler version would be:

Nawet gdy pada deszcz, dzieci bawią się na placu zabaw.

That means basically the same thing.

Why is gdy used here? Could it be kiedy instead?

Yes, kiedy would also work.

• gdy = when
• kiedy = when

In many everyday contexts they are interchangeable. The difference is mostly stylistic:

• gdy can sound a bit more written, smooth, or formal
• kiedy can sound a bit more neutral/conversational

So:

• Nawet wtedy, gdy pada deszcz...
• Nawet wtedy, kiedy pada deszcz...

Both are correct.

Why does Polish say pada deszcz for it is raining?