Temporal Clauses: während, bevor, bis, seitdem
Learn the subordinating conjunctions that order events in time — während, bevor, bis, seitdem and sobald — and the tense each one prefers in its clause.
während: two things at the same time
You can already order past events with als and nachdem. This lesson completes the temporal toolbox with four more subordinators, and all of them obey the rule you know: comma before the clause, conjugated verb at the end.
The first is während — while. It sets two actions running side by side: Während ich koche, macht mein Sohn seine Hausaufgaben. Both clauses usually share the same tense, because the actions share the same stretch of time — both present, or both past.
während works in any tense. In a written narrative it pairs naturally with the Präteritum from lessons one and two: Während er studierte, arbeitete er abends in einem Café. Whenever two activities overlap, während is the word that holds them together.
Während ich koche, macht mein Sohn seine Hausaufgaben.
While I cook, my son does his homework.
Während er studierte, arbeitete er abends in einem Café.
While he was studying, he worked in a café in the evenings.
Both clauses share the Präteritum, because the actions share the same stretch of time.
Bitte schalten Sie Ihr Handy aus, während die Prüfung läuft.
Please switch off your mobile phone while the examination is in progress.
bevor and bis: before and until
bevor — before — names an action that comes later than the main clause: Bevor ich zur Arbeit gehe, trinke ich einen Kaffee. Note a pleasant surprise: even though the going lies after the drinking, German uses a simple tense in both clauses. There is no pluperfect gymnastics with bevor; plain present or plain past is correct.
bis — until — marks the end point of the main action: Ich warte hier, bis der Kurs beginnt. The main clause runs on and on, and the bis-clause tells you when it stops.
Both conjunctions appear constantly in plans and instructions. Bevor Sie das Formular abschicken, überprüfen Sie bitte Ihre Angaben — before you send off the form, please check your details. Learn them as a contrasting pair: bevor looks forward to the next event, bis stretches the current one to its finish line.
Bevor ich zur Arbeit gehe, trinke ich in Ruhe einen Kaffee.
Before I go to work, I drink a coffee in peace.
Bevor sie den Vertrag unterschrieb, las sie jede Seite genau.
Before she signed the contract, she read every page carefully.
bevor needs no pluperfect — plain Präteritum in both clauses is correct.
Ich warte hier, bis der Kurs beginnt.
I will wait here until the course begins.
Wir müssen warten, bis das Amt unseren Antrag bearbeitet hat.
We have to wait until the office has processed our application.
With bis, the Perfekt marks the completed end point of the waiting.
seitdem: since then, and still now
seitdem — since — connects a starting point in the past with a situation that continues today: Seitdem ich in Deutschland lebe, lerne ich jeden Tag etwas Neues. Here German springs a trap for English speakers: because the living still goes on, German uses the present tense in both clauses, where English says "have lived". Resist the urge to reach for the Perfekt when the state is still true.
If the starting event itself is over and done, the seitdem-clause may stand in the Perfekt while the main clause stays present: Seitdem er die Prüfung bestanden hat, ist er viel selbstbewusster — the passing is finished, the confidence continues.
seitdem also lives a second life as an adverb opening a main clause: Ich habe im Januar einen Kurs gemacht. Seitdem geht es viel besser. In that use it fills first position and the verb follows in second — the same pattern as deshalb and trotzdem from A2.
Seitdem ich in Deutschland lebe, lerne ich jeden Tag etwas Neues.
Since I have been living in Germany, I learn something new every day.
German uses the present tense here, because the living still continues.
Seitdem er die Prüfung bestanden hat, ist er viel selbstbewusster.
Since he passed the examination, he has been much more self-confident.
The completed starting event stands in the Perfekt; the continuing state stays present.
Ich habe im Januar einen Sprachkurs angefangen. Seitdem geht es viel besser.
I started a language course in January. Since then, things have been going much better.
As an adverb, seitdem takes first position and the verb follows in second — like deshalb.
sobald: as soon as — and the toolbox complete
The last conjunction is sobald — as soon as. It chains two events tightly together: the moment the first is complete, the second follows. Sobald ich das Zertifikat habe, bewerbe ich mich um eine neue Stelle. For future plans German is again more economical than English: both clauses stand in the present tense, and the future meaning is understood — the same habit you know from the plain present and from werden at A2.
When the completion itself needs stressing, sobald pairs with the Perfekt: Sobald Sie den Bescheid bekommen haben, rufen Sie uns bitte an. This pattern is everywhere in official and workplace communication.
Step back and admire the system: während for overlap, bevor for the event after, bis for the end point, seitdem for the beginning of a continuing state, nachdem for the completed step before, sobald for the immediate next step. Six small words, one shared grammar — verb at the end — and your sentences can now hold a full timetable.
Sobald ich das Zertifikat habe, bewerbe ich mich um eine neue Stelle.
As soon as I have the certificate, I will apply for a new position.
Both clauses stand in the present tense; the future meaning is understood.
Sobald Sie den Bescheid bekommen haben, rufen Sie uns bitte an.
As soon as you have received the notification, please call us.
Bis der neue Kurs anfängt, wiederhole ich die alten Lektionen.
Until the new course starts, I am revising the old lessons.
Während wir auf die Ergebnisse warteten, planten wir schon die nächsten Schritte.
While we were waiting for the results, we were already planning the next steps.
Check yourself
Quick checks on this lesson. Get at least three quarters right to mark it as completed.
Which conjunction says that two actions run side by side at the same time?
Practise what you learned