när
When
När = When (in questions)
How It Works
När is one of the fundamental Swedish question words (frågeord). It's used to ask about the time an action or event takes place.
The basic structure for a direct question with när is:
När + Finite Verb + Subject + ...?
This word order, where the verb comes in the second position after the question word, is an example of the verb-second rule in Swedish.
For example:
- När börjar lektionen? (When does the lesson start?)
- När äter du? (When do you eat?)
Note: När can also mean 'when' as a conjunction to connect two clauses (e.g., "I am happy when you are here"). That is a different grammar pattern, när (conjunction).
An indirect question keeps när but normally uses subordinate order: Jag vet inte när hon kommer (I do not know when she is coming). Do not apply direct-question inversion mechanically inside another clause.
Examples (5)
- När börjar filmen?
When does the movie start?
Word by Word: When starts the movie?
- När äter du frukost?
When do you eat breakfast?
Word by Word: When eat you breakfast?
- När är din födelsedag?
When is your birthday?
Word by Word: When is your birthday?
- När kommer bussen?
When is the bus coming?
Word by Word: When comes the bus?
- När stänger affären?
When does the store close?
Word by Word: When closes the store?
Common Mistakes
Confusing 'när' (when) with 'var' (where).
Var är din födelsedag?När är din födelsedag?'När' asks about time, while 'var' asks about location. To ask about the date of a birthday, you must use 'när'.
Using incorrect word order after 'när'.
När du kommer hem?När kommer du hem?In a standard direct question, the finite verb follows när and precedes the subject: När kommer du hem? När du kommer hem is instead the order used in an indirect question or a temporal clause; it is not the ordinary standalone information question.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'när' (when) effectively, you need to understand how to form basic questions in Swedish, which involves specific word order rules. You also need a basic grasp of verb conjugation to complete the sentence, and familiarity with other question words helps establish the pattern for interrogative adverbs.
Related Patterns
- Verb-second rule
Standard direct questions with när put the finite verb second: När kommer hon? Indirect questions normally use subordinate order: Jag undrar när hon kommer.
Level 3 - varWhere
Means 'where'. Learners often confuse 'var' (place) with 'när' (time).
Level 1 - hurHow
Hur asks how. In a standard direct question, the question phrase comes before the finite verb; indirect questions normally have subordinate order.
Level 1 - när (subjunktion)When
This is the other main use of the word 'när', meaning 'when' to connect clauses (e.g., 'Call me when you arrive'). It's important to distinguish it from the question word.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice när in Bubblegum
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