bis

Until: Bis

Level 3

Bis means until. Before a word: bis muer (until tomorrow). Before a clause, with the verb at the end: Waart, bis ech kommen. (Wait until I come.)

How It Works

1. Bis as a preposition
Bis marks an end point in time, place or amount. It takes the accusative:

  • Time: bis muer, bis e Sonndeg, bis elo (until now), bis Mëtt September
  • Place, usually with a second preposition: bis an d'Stad (as far as the city), bis bei déi nächst Tankstell (as far as the next petrol station)
  • Amount: bis 30 Joer (up to 30 years old), 30 bis 40 Euro (between 30 and 40 euros)

Many goodbyes use bis: Bis muer! (See you tomorrow!), Bis geschwënn! (See you soon!).

2. Telling the time
In clock times, bis means to: Et ass Véierel bis néng (It is a quarter to nine). See Telling the Time.

3. Bis as a conjunction
Bis can also join a whole clause. Its verb goes to the end: Waart, bis ech kommen. You will also see bis datt with the same meaning: Mir waarde mam Iessen, bis (datt) eis Gäscht all ukomm sinn.

4. Bis or zanter?
Bis marks where something ends. For the time since something started, use zanter: Ech wunnen hei zanter zwee Joer (I have lived here for two years).

Examples (6)

  1. Äddi, bis muer!

    Bye, see you tomorrow!

  2. Bis e Sonndeg sinn ech nach zu Land.

    I'm still in the country until Sunday.

    Zu Land means in Luxembourg, at home in the country.

  3. D'Äispist ass bis Mëtt September zou.

    The ice rink is closed until mid-September.

  4. Den Zuch fiert bis an d'Stad.

    The train goes as far as the city.

    For places, bis often combines with another preposition.

  5. Waart, bis ech kommen.

    Wait until I come.

    As a conjunction, bis sends the verb to the end.

  6. Mir waarde mam Iessen, bis eis Gäscht all ukomm sinn.

    We are waiting to eat until our guests have all arrived.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the verb in the middle of the bis clause.

    Waart, bis ech si fäerdeg.
    Waart, bis ech fäerdeg sinn.

    As a conjunction, bis sends the verb to the end of its clause.

  • Using bis for the time since something started.

    Ech wunnen hei bis zwee Joer.
    Ech wunnen hei zanter zwee Joer.

    Bis marks an end point. To say how long something has been going on, use zanter.

How It Connects

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

bisLevel 3Until: Bis

Learn This First

Before Until: Bis, learn Before: Ier and Time Expressions: Um, Ëm, Am and E.

Words in This Pattern