als

Goethe A2 Conjunction
  1. when
  2. than
  3. as
1.

when

(singular past events)
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Examples
  • Du hast angerufen als ich gerade die Tür abgeschlossen habe.
  • You called as I was just locking my door.
2.

than

Opposite: so... wie
("unequal" comparisons (bigger, smaller, more....))
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Examples
  • Ich bin schneller als du.
  • I am faster than you.
3.

as

(assigning roles, characteristics, for example "Als Lehrer")
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Examples
  • Ich arbeite als Kellner in einem Restaurant.
  • I work as a waiter in a restaurant.

Word Family

Knowing relations between words can help understand their meanings and build a more connected vocabulary network. Here, you can explore parents and offspring and discover the whole family.

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Sources for Etymology:

My Articles

The 3 meanings of “als”

“als” means three different things in German: when, than and as. Today, we'll learn how to use it and see the difference between als, wenn, wie and als ob.

Vocab: als, wenn, wie

Read article →

Time in German 6 – Coordinating Actions

We'll learn how to properly arrange actions (clauses) in time using the German words for before, after and while. Also: difference between nachdem and danach and others

Vocab: bevor, vorher, danach, nachdem, während

Read article →

Comparisons in German

In this intense but fun article, we'll learn all we need to make comparsions in German, including and often asked question about word order.

Read article →

Questions and Comments

Do you have questions about the usage or meaning of “als”? Just ask here and I’ll try to clear it up.

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2 Comments
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Oldest

MakingMyWay
MakingMyWay

Hi Dear Emanuel.

Is it correct:
Weißt du noch, als wir zusammen zur Schule gegangen sind?

I mean using “als” after ” weißt du noch” is true?
Do you remember those days when…..

Thank you so much

Reply
Emanuel
Author
Emanuel
Reply to  MakingMyWay

Yes, that’s perfect. Exactly how we say it.

Reply

How many meanings does the German word 'als' have?

als has 3 distinct meanings: 1. when, 2. than, 3. as.

What is 'als' related to?

This is a standalone entry with no parent word listed.

Where can I learn more about 'als'?

Here are some articles where you can learn more about 'als':

The 3 meanings of “als”
“als” means three different things in German: when, than and as. Today, we'll learn how to use it and see the difference between als, wenn, wie and als ob.
Vocab: als, wenn, wie
Read article

Time in German 6 – Coordinating Actions
We'll learn how to properly arrange actions (clauses) in time using the German words for before, after and while. Also: difference between nachdem and danach and others
Vocab: bevor, vorher, danach, nachdem, während
Read article

Comparisons in German
In this intense but fun article, we'll learn all we need to make comparsions in German, including and often asked question about word order.
Read article