wenn

See also: Wenn and wénn

German

Etymology

Like wann, from Proto-Germanic *hwannē (“at what time, when”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷo-, *kʷi- (“interrogative base”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛn/

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

Conjunction

wenn (subordinating)

1. when

   Sag bitte Bescheid, wenn du fertig bist!

   Tell me when you're done!

2. if (on the condition that)

   Was tun, wenn ich nicht weiß, ob sie mich liebt?

   What (to do) if I don't know if she loves me?

Usage notes

Instead of using wenn to introduce a conditional clause, verb-initial (V1) word order can also be used:

Wird das nicht gemacht, müsste die Nutzung beschränkt werden.

(If) that is not done, then the uses must be limited.

In any case, the main clause can, but need not be, introduced by dann or so:

Bedenkt man, dass Gold recht schwer zu finden ist, so/dann ist es kein Wunder, dass es so wertvoll ist.

If we consider that gold is rather difficult to come by, it is no wonder that it is so precious.

Wenn man vom Teufel spricht, kommt er.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

See also

• wann

Further reading

• “wenn” in Duden online

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Low German

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *hwannē (“at what time, when”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷo-, *kʷi- (“interrogative base”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛn/

Conjunction

wenn (subordinating)

1. when
2. if (on the condition that)

See also

• wannehr
• wann

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Old English

Alternative forms

• wænn
• ƿenn — wynn spelling

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wanjaz, diminutive of Proto-Germanic *wan- (“swelling, growth, lump, tumor”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Middle Low German wene (“wen”), Middle Dutch wanne, wan (“goiter”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wenn/, [wen]

Noun

wenn m (nominative plural wennas)

1. wen (cyst on the skin)

Declension

Declension of wenn (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	wenn	wennas
accusative	wenn	wennas
genitive	wennes	wenna
dative	wenne	wennum

Descendants

• Middle English: wenne
  • English: wen