като + Time Clause

Time Clauses with Като

Level 3Sounds Like kato za vreme

In speech, като often means when or once: Като дойдеш, ще говорим. (When you come, we will talk.)

How It Works

1. Meaning. Besides like and as (see като for comparisons), като can start a time clause meaning when or once. It is very common in speech and close to когато, often with a sense of as soon as or after.

2. Future events. For something that will happen, use the present tense of a perfective verb, not ще: Като дойдеш, ще говорим. (When you come, we will talk.) Обади ми се, като стигнеш. (Call me when you get there.) See the perfective present in dependent clauses.

3. Past events. With the aorist, като means when, once, after: Като се прибрах, заспах. (Once I got home, I fell asleep.) With the imperfect, it describes a period: Като бях малък, живеехме на село. (When I was little, we lived in the village.)

4. Repeated events. With the present or the imperfect, като can mean whenever: Като вали, оставаме вкъщи. (Whenever it rains, we stay home.)

5. The comma. A time clause with като is separated by a comma: Като се събудих, видях снега. (When I woke up, I saw the snow.) In the middle of a sentence it is closed on both sides.

6. Not a question word. To ask when?, use кога: Кога ще дойдеш? (When will you come?) Като only joins clauses.

Other meanings. After the main verb, a като-clause can also show how something is done: Учи думи, като слуша песни. (She learns words by listening to songs.) In speech it can give a reason: Като не знаеш, не говори. (Since you don't know, don't talk.) Context shows which meaning is intended.

Examples (6)

  1. Като дойдеш, ще говорим.

    When you come, we will talk.

    Future event: perfective present дойдеш, no ще.

  2. Като се прибрах, веднага заспах.

    Once I got home, I fell asleep right away.

    With the aorist, като means once or after.

  3. Като бях малък, живеехме на село.

    When I was little, we lived in the village.

    With the imperfect, като describes a period of time.

  4. Обади ми се, като стигнеш.

    Call me when you get there.

  5. Като видя майка си, детето се усмихна.

    When the child saw its mother, it smiled.

  6. Като вали, винаги оставаме вкъщи.

    Whenever it rains, we always stay home.

    With the present tense, като can mean whenever.

Common Mistakes

  • Using ще inside the като-clause.

    Като ще дойдеш, ще говорим.
    Като дойдеш, ще говорим.

    In a time clause about the future, Bulgarian uses the perfective present, and ще belongs only in the main clause. Като ще дойдеш is possible only with another meaning: since you are coming anyway.

  • Leaving out the comma after the time clause.

    Като се прибрах заспах.
    Като се прибрах, заспах.

    A като-clause is a subordinate clause, so a comma separates it from the main clause.

  • Using като as a question word.

    Като ще дойдеш?
    Кога ще дойдеш?

    Като only connects clauses. To ask when, use кога.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

като + Time ClauseLevel 3Time Clauses with Като

Learn This First

Time clauses with като follow когато.

Words in This Pattern

като