wéi wann

As if: Wéi Wann

Level 5

Wéi wann means as if: Hie schwätzt, wéi wann hien de Chef wier. The verb goes to the end and is usually a conditional form.

How It Works

1. Verb at the end, in the conditional
Wéi wann starts a subordinate clause. Because the comparison is imagined, the verb is usually conditional:

  • Hie schwätzt, wéi wann hien de Chef wier. (He talks as if he were the boss.)
  • Et ass mer, wéi wann haut Sonndeg wier. (It feels to me as if today were Sunday.)

2. As if it had happened
For something imagined in the past, use a participle with hätt or wier:

  • Hie mécht, wéi wann hien näischt héieren hätt. (He acts as if he hadn't heard anything.)
  • Et ass, wéi wann et gëschter gewiescht wier. (It's as if it had been yesterday.)

3. With géif
Most other verbs use géif with an infinitive:

  • Lief, wéi wann s de muer géifs stierwen. (Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.)

4. With du
After wann, du becomes s de or s du, as in wann s de: Du kucks, wéi wann s de e Geescht gesinn häss.

5. Ewéi wann
The longer form ewéi wann means exactly the same: Hatt mécht, ewéi wann et näischt wéisst.

Typical verbs before it are maachen (to act, pretend), schwätzen, ausgesinn (to look) and et ass. The idiom Maach net, wéi wann! means Don't pretend!

Examples (6)

  1. Hie mécht, wéi wann hien näischt héieren hätt.

    He acts as if he hadn't heard anything.

    Héieren hätt describes something imagined in the past.

  2. Et ass, wéi wann et gëschter gewiescht wier.

    It's as if it had been yesterday.

  3. Hie schwätzt, wéi wann hien de Chef wier.

    He talks as if he were the boss.

    Wier comes at the end of the clause.

  4. Et ass mer, wéi wann haut Sonndeg wier.

    It feels to me as if today were Sunday.

  5. Du kucks, wéi wann s de e Geescht gesinn häss.

    You look as if you had seen a ghost.

    After wann, du becomes s de, and the verb form is häss.

  6. Lief, wéi wann s de muer géifs stierwen.

    Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.

    Géifs with an infinitive is used for most verbs.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the verb in second place after wéi wann.

    Hie schwätzt, wéi wann hie wier de Chef.
    Hie schwätzt, wéi wann hien de Chef wier.

    Wéi wann starts a subordinate clause, so the verb goes to the end.

  • Using the German als ob.

    Hie mécht, als ob hien näischt héieren hätt.
    Hie mécht, wéi wann hien näischt héieren hätt.

    Luxembourgish says wéi wann or ewéi wann for as if. Als ob is German.

How It Connects

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

wéi wannLevel 5As if: Wéi Wann

Learn This First

Before As If: Wéi wann, learn Unreal Past: Hätt or Wier + Participle and How: Wéi.

Words in This Pattern

wéiewéi