och wann

Even if: Och Wann

Level 4

Och wann means even if or even though. The verb goes to the end of its clause: Ech kommen, och wann et reent.

How It Works

1. Even if, even though
Och wann says that the main clause stays true in spite of something. The verb goes to the end:

  • Mir ginn eraus, och wann et kal ass. (We are going out even though it is cold.)
  • Ech freeë mech, och wann s de näischt matbréngs. (I will be happy even if you bring nothing.)

2. Och wann clause first
The clause fills the first place, so the main verb follows the comma directly: Och wann d'Anna midd ass, hëlleft hatt eis.

3. Imagined cases
For something unreal, use conditional forms, as in unreal conditions: Och wann ech Suen hätt, géif ech dat Haus net kafen. (Even if I had money, I would not buy that house.)

4. The n-rule
Wann loses its n before most consonants (n-rule): och wa mer, but och wann et and och wann hien. With du, it becomes och wann s de.

5. Och wann or obwuel?
Obwuel (although) is only used for real facts. Och wann works for real facts and for imagined ones, so an imagined case needs och wann.

6. Watch the comma
The comma goes before och: Ech freeë mech, och wann s de näischt matbréngs means I will be happy even if you bring nothing. Ech freeë mech och, wann s de näischt matbréngs means I will also be happy if you bring nothing.

You will also meet wann och in short additions: Ech ka Piano spillen, wann och net ganz gutt. (I can play the piano, though not very well.)

Examples (6)

  1. Ech kommen, och wann et reent.

    I'm coming, even if it rains.

  2. Mir ginn eraus, och wann et kal ass.

    We are going out even though it is cold.

  3. Och wann d'Anna midd ass, hëlleft hatt eis.

    Even though Anna is tired, she helps us.

    The och wann clause comes first, so hëlleft follows the comma.

  4. Ech bleiwen nach, och wa mer muer fréi mussen opstoen.

    I'm staying a bit longer, even though we have to get up early tomorrow.

    Wann becomes wa before mer. The modal mussen comes before the infinitive opstoen at the end.

  5. Och wann ech Suen hätt, géif ech dat Haus net kafen.

    Even if I had money, I wouldn't buy that house.

    An imagined case uses conditional forms in both clauses.

  6. Ech freeë mech, och wann s de näischt matbréngs.

    I'll be happy even if you don't bring anything.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the verb in second place after och wann.

    Ech kommen, och wann ass et kal.
    Ech kommen, och wann et kal ass.

    Och wann starts a subordinate clause, so ass goes to the end.

  • Using obwuel for an imagined case.

    Obwuel ech Suen hätt, géif ech dat Haus net kafen.
    Och wann ech Suen hätt, géif ech dat Haus net kafen.

    Obwuel (although) describes real facts. For an imagined case (even if I had), use och wann.

How It Connects

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

och wannLevel 4Even if: Och Wann

Learn This First

Before Even If: Och wann, learn If and When: Wann and Although: Obwuel.

Words in This Pattern

och