Subordinate clauses of time (bevor = before, nachdem = after, während = while/during, bis = until, seit = since)

Subordinate clauses of time in German (bevor, nachdem, während, bis, seit)

This article explains how German forms subordinate clauses of time — clauses that tell when something happens — using the common temporal conjunctions bevor (before), nachdem (after), während (while/during), bis (until), and seit / seitdem (since). You will learn what each conjunction means, how to form the clause (word order and punctuation), which tenses to choose, and typical mistakes learners make. Examples are in German with English translations.

What is a subordinate clause of time?

A subordinate (dependent) clause of time gives information about when an action happens and is introduced by a subordinating conjunction such as bevor, nachdem, während, bis, or seit. Subordinate clauses in German send the finite verb to the end of the clause and are separated from the main clause by a comma.

Example:
Ich rufe dich an, bevor ich gehe. (I will call you before I leave.)
Bevor ich gehe, rufe ich dich an. (Before I leave, I will call you.)

Main rules: word order, comma, and tenses

Word order and commas
- A subordinating conjunction (e.g., bevor, nachdem, während, bis, seit) introduces a Nebensatz (subordinate clause). The finite verb goes to the very end of that clause.
- Always separate a subordinate clause from the main clause with a comma.
- If the subordinate clause comes first, the main clause follows and the finite verb of the main clause is in second position (inversion).

Examples:
Ich esse, bevor ich zur Arbeit gehe. (I eat before I go to work.)
Bevor ich zur Arbeit gehe, esse ich. (Before I go to work, I eat.)

Basic tense guidance (anteriority and simultaneity)
- Use tenses to show time relations clearly.
- nachdem: the action in the nachdem-clause happened before the action in the main clause. Use a perfect tense to show that anteriority (see details below).
- bevor: the action in the main clause happens after the action in the bevor-clause (or the bevor-clause expresses a point that precedes the main clause). For past sequences, use the pluperfect (Plusquamperfekt) for the action that happened earlier.
- während: describes simultaneous actions (while/at the same time) or a temporal context (during + noun).
- bis: marks an end point (until). For future reference, German uses the present in the bis-clause instead of a future tense.
- seit / seitdem: indicates an action or state that began in the past and continues to the present (use present in German to express an ongoing state).

Conjunction-by-conjunction: meaning, formation, and examples

Bevor — "before"
Meaning: "Bevor" indicates that the action in the bevor-clause happens earlier than the action in the main clause. Use it for future, habitual, or past sequences.

Formation: Subordinating conjunction + clause with verb at the end. Put a comma between main and subordinate clause.

Examples (present / future context):
Ich rufe dich an, bevor ich gehe. (I will call you before I leave.)
Bevor ich gehe, rufe ich dich an. (Before I leave, I will call you.)

Examples (past sequence — show earlier action with Plusquamperfekt):
Bevor er kam, hatte ich schon gegessen. (Before he came, I had already eaten.)
Bevor sie das Haus verließ, hatte sie die Fenster zugemacht. (Before she left the house, she had closed the windows.)

Notes:
- "Ehe" is a more formal synonym for "bevor" (Ehe ich gehe, ...).
- In spoken German, people sometimes use Perfekt instead of Plusquamperfekt, but the pluperfect is the clearest way to show which past action came first.

Nachdem — "after" (anterior event marker)
Meaning: "Nachdem" introduces an action that was completed before the main clause action — it expresses anteriority.

Important tense rule: The clause introduced by nachdem should normally use a perfect tense to indicate the action happened before the action in the main clause:
- If the main clause is in the present or refers to a present/future result, use Perfekt in the nachdem-clause to show the action is finished before now or before the main clause: Nachdem er das Buch gelesen hat, ist er glücklich. (After he has read the book, he is happy.)
- If the main clause is in the past, use Plusquamperfekt in the nachdem-clause: Nachdem er das Buch gelesen hatte, war er glücklich. (After he had read the book, he was happy.)

Examples:
Nachdem sie den Test bestanden hat, hat sie gefeiert. (After she passed the test, she celebrated / has celebrated.)
Nachdem er angekommen war, begann die Besprechung. (After he had arrived, the meeting began.)

Common error to avoid:
- Do not use simple Präteritum in the nachdem-clause to express an action that happened before the main clause. Wrong: *Nachdem er kam, ...* Better: Nachdem er gekommen war, ... or Nachdem er gekommen ist, ...

Während — "while" / "during"
Meaning:
- As a conjunction: "während" = "while" (two actions happen at the same time).
- As a preposition: "während" + genitive = "during" (e.g., während des Essens = during the meal). In spoken German, people often use dative (während dem Essen), but the genitive is the formal written form.

Examples (conjunction):
Während ich koche, hört er Musik. (While I cook, he listens to music.)
Während sie las, schlief das Baby. (While she was reading, the baby slept.)

Examples (preposition + genitive):
Während des Vortrags wurden Fragen gestellt. (During the lecture, questions were asked.)

Note: "Während" can also introduce a contrast similar to English "while":
Während Anna sparte, gab Ben viel Geld aus. (While Anna saved, Ben spent a lot.)

Bis — "until" / end point
Meaning: "Bis" expresses up to the moment something happens — a limit or end point.

Key tense note: For clauses of time introduced by bis, German normally uses the present tense to speak about the future rather than a future form. So use present where English would use future.

Examples (future reference / present as future):
Ich warte hier, bis du zurückkommst. (I'll wait here until you come back.)
Bleib ruhig, bis ich wieder da bin. (Stay calm until I'm back.)

Examples (past reference — use Plusquamperfekt when appropriate):
Er blieb, bis der Regen aufgehört hatte. (He stayed until the rain had stopped.)

Other uses:
- bis + noun: Bis Montag bleibe ich hier. (I'll stay here until Monday.)
- bis zu + noun: Das dauert bis zu einer Stunde. (That takes up to an hour.)

Common error to avoid:
- Do not use future tense in the bis-clause: *Ich warte, bis du kommen wirst.* — incorrect. Correct: Ich warte, bis du kommst.

Seit / Seitdem — "since" (duration from a point in the past to now)
Meaning:
- As preposition: seit + time expression/noun (takes dative) — shows how long something has been true.
- As conjunction: seit / seitdem + clause — shows that from a past point until now something has been true.

Tense note: German typically uses the present tense to express an action/state that started in the past and continues now (where English uses present perfect).

Examples (preposition + noun):
Ich wohne seit 2018 in Berlin. (I have lived / I have been living in Berlin since 2018.)
Ich kenne ihn seit einem Jahr. (I have known him for a year.)

Examples (conjunction):
Seit (oder seitdem) er hier arbeitet, ist er ruhiger. (Since he started working here, he has been calmer.)
Seitdem ich Deutsch lerne, verstehe ich mehr Filme. (Since I started learning German, I understand more films.)

Note:
- Use dative with the prepositional form: seit einem Jahr, seit 2010.
- Both "seit" and "seitdem" can introduce clauses; "seitdem" is often used to emphasize the continuing result.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

- Missing comma or wrong word order in subordinate clause:
Wrong: Ich rufe dich an bevor ich gehe.
Correct: Ich rufe dich an, bevor ich gehe.

- Using future tense in a temporal subordinate clause with bis:
Wrong: *Ich warte, bis du ankommen wirst.*
Correct: Ich warte, bis du ankommst.

- Incorrect tense with nachdem (use perfect tenses for anteriority):
Wrong: *Nachdem er kam, gingen wir ins Kino.*
Correct: Nachdem er gekommen war, gingen wir ins Kino. (or: Nachdem er gekommen ist, sind wir ins Kino gegangen.)

- Confusing preposition and conjunction uses:
Wrong (formal): *Während dem Essen aßen wir.* (colloquial but not formal)
Better (formal): Während des Essens aßen wir.
Or as clause: Während wir aßen, unterhielten wir uns.

- Misusing "seit" with perfect when you should use present for ongoing states:
Less natural: *Ich habe seit 2010 in Berlin gelebt.* (This implies the living may be finished.)
Preferred: Ich lebe seit 2010 in Berlin. (I have been living in Berlin since 2010.)

Quick comparisons with other temporal conjunctions you might meet

- als vs. wenn:
"Als" is used for a single event in the past: Als ich ein Kind war, spielte ich viel draußen. (When I was a child...)
"Wenn" is used for repeated events or general conditions and for present/future: Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause. (If/when it rains...)
"Bevor" and "nachdem" are sequence markers (before/after) and cannot be replaced with "als/when" in the same way.

- seit vs. nachdem:
"Seit"/"seitdem" indicates a continuing state that started in the past and continues now. "Nachdem" indicates a completed action that occurred before another action. Compare:
Nachdem er aufgehört hatte zu rauchen, fühlte er sich besser. (After he had quit smoking, he felt better.)
Seit er aufgehört hat zu rauchen, fühlt er sich besser. (Since he quit smoking, he has been feeling better.)

Glossary (brief)

- Subordinate clause / Nebensatz: a clause that cannot stand alone and depends on a main clause.
- Subordinating conjunction / subordinierende Konjunktion: words like bevor, nachdem, während, bis, seit that introduce a Nebensatz.
- Finite verb: the verb form that shows tense and person (must go to the end in Nebensätze).
- Perfekt (present perfect): e.g., "hat gegessen".
- Plusquamperfekt (past perfect): e.g., "hatte gegessen" or "war gegangen".

Summary / Cheat sheet

- Put the finite verb at the end of the subordinate clause introduced by bevor, nachdem, während, bis, seit.
- Always separate subordinate and main clause with a comma.
- Use Perfekt / Plusquamperfekt with nachdem to show that the action in the nachdem-clause happened before the main clause (Perfekt for reference to present/future; Plusquamperfekt when the main clause is in the past).
- Use the present tense in bis-clauses to express future events (no future tense in the bis-clause).
- Use present tense with seit + clause to express an ongoing state that started in the past (where English uses the present perfect).

If you keep these patterns in mind and practice by reading and translating example sentences, you will quickly recognize which conjunction to use and which tense and word order are correct.