when

when

 (wĕn, hwĕn)

adv.

At what time: When will we leave?

conj.

1. At the time that: in the spring, when the snow melts.

2. As soon as: I'll call you when I get there.

3. Whenever: When the wind blows, all the doors rattle.

4. During the time at which; while: When I was young, I was sick all the time.

5. Whereas; although: She stopped short when she ought to have continued.

6. Considering that; if: How can he get good grades when he won't study?

pron.

1. What or which time: Since when has this been going on?

2. At or during the time that: Where were you on the night when the murder took place?

n.

The time or date: Have they decided the where and when?

---

[Middle English, from Old English hwenne; see k^wo- in Indo-European roots.]

Usage Note: In informal style when is often used after forms of be in definitions: A dilemma is when you don't know which way to turn. Although useful, this construction is widely regarded as incorrect or unsuitable for formal discourse. In formal style such definitions should be recast to eliminate is when, either by supplying a generic term that may be modified by a restrictive adjective clause (A dilemma is a situation in which you don't know which way to turn) or by making the when-clause adverbial (You are in a dilemma when you don't know which way to turn). When is acceptable, however, when a noun phrase that denotes a point in time is being defined or described: The best time to drink this tea is when you are sleepy.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

when

(wɛn)

adv

1.

a. at what time? over what period?: when is he due?.

b. (used in indirect questions): ask him when he's due.

2. say when to state when an action is to be stopped or begun, as when someone is pouring a drink

3. (subordinating) at a time at which; at the time at which; just as; after: I found it easily when I started to look seriously.

4. although: he drives when he might walk.

5. considering the fact that: how did you pass the exam when you'd not worked for it?.

6. at which (time); over which (period): an age when men were men.

n

(usually plural) a question as to the time of some occurrence

[Old English hwanne, hwænne; related to Old High German hwanne, hwenne, Latin cum]

Usage: When should not be used loosely as a substitute for in which after a noun which does not refer to a period of time: paralysis is a condition in which (not when) parts of the body cannot be moved

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

when

(ʰwɛn, wɛn; unstressed ʰwən, wən)

adv.

1. at what time or period? how long ago? how soon?: When are they to arrive? When did the Roman Empire exist?

2. under what circumstances? upon what occasion?: When is a letter of condolence in order? When did you ever see such a crowd?

conj.

3. at what time: to know when to be silent.

4. at the time or in the event that: when we were young; when the noise stops.

5. at any time; whenever: The dogs always bark when anyone approaches the house.

6. upon or after which; and then: We had just fallen asleep when the bell rang.

7. while on the contrary; whereas: Why are you here when you should be in school?

pron.

8. what time: Till when is the store open?

9. which time: They left on Monday, since when we have heard nothing.

n.

10. the time of anything: the when and the where of an act.

[before 1000; Middle English when(ne), Old English hwenne, c. Old Frisian hwenne, Old High German hwanne (compare Old Saxon, Gothic hwan when, how); akin to who, what]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

when

1. used in questions

You use when to ask about the time that something happened or will happen.

When did you arrive?

'They're getting married.' – 'When?' – 'Next month.'

2. used in time clauses

You use when in time clauses to say that something happened, happens, or will happen at a particular time.

He left school when he was sixteen.

When I have free time, I always spend it fishing.

If you are talking about the future, use the present simple in the time clause, not a future form. For example, say 'Stop when you feel tired'. Don't say 'Stop when you will feel tired'.

When you get to the hotel, go to reception and give your name.

I'll come when I finish work.

3. 'when', 'as', and 'while'

If you want to say what was happening at the time that an event occurred, you can begin by saying what was happening, then add a clause beginning with when.

I was just going out when there was a knock at the door.

We were at our desks working when we heard the explosion.

You can also use as or while to say what was happening when an event occurred. When you use one of these words, you describe the event in the main clause and say what was happening in the clause beginning with as or while.

As I was out walking one day, I saw a very unusual bird.

While I was standing at the bus stop, Raul came by.

If you want to say that two events are continuing to happen at the same time, you usually use while.

What were you thinking about while he was talking to you?

I don't like music playing while I am working.

4. used with 'why'

When has another use which is not related to time. You can add a clause beginning with when to a question which begins with why, as a way of expressing surprise or disagreement. The when-clause shows the reason for your surprise or disagreement.

Why should I help him when he refused to help me?

Why worry her when there's nothing she can do about it?

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

Translations

امتىبالرَّغْم من، في الوَقْت الذيعَنْدَماعِندَمالما

кога

kdykdyžaž

hvornårnårda

wannwennalssobald

ότανπότεσαν

kiam

cuandocuándosi

kuimillal

kunmilloinmistäkoska

quandlorsque

מתי

कबजब

kada

amikoramikor pedigmikormikor?

kapan

hvenæròegaròrátt fyrir aî; meî tilliti til

quandoseallorchéallorquandoappena che

･･･する時はいつ

...인 때언제

quando

iš kurjeigu

jakad

wanneerzodraalstoen

når

kiedygdy

quando

când

когда

kdajko

dånär

เมื่อใด เวลาใดเมื่อหรือขณะที่

ne zamanne zaman kiolduğu hâlde-diğinde-ince

جبکب

khi nàokhi

什么时候何时在...的时候当...时既然

when

[wen]

A. ADVERB

1. (in direct and indirect questions, reported speech)

When in direct and indirect questions as well as after expressions of (un)certainty and doubt (e.g. no sé) translates as cuándo (with an accent) and is used with the indicative:

→ cuándo
when did it happen? → ¿cuándo ocurrió?
he asked me when I had seen it → me preguntó cuándo lo había visto
do you know when he died? → ¿sabes cuándo murió?
I know when it happened → yo sé cuándo ocurrió
he told me when the wedding would be → me dijo cuándo sería la boda
he told me when to come in → me indicó cuándo entrar
say when! (when serving food, drink) → ¡dime cuánto!
since when since when do you like or have you liked Indian food? → ¿desde cuándo te gusta la comida india?
till when? → ¿hasta cuándo?

2. (in exclamations) → cuándo
when will we learn to keep our mouths shut! → ¡cuándo aprenderemos a callar la boca!

3. (in other statements)

3.1. (= the time, day, moment, etc) → cuando
that was when the trouble started → entonces fue cuando empezaron los problemas
Monday? that's when Ted gets back → ¿el lunes? ese día es cuando vuelve Ted
that's when the programme starts → a esa hora es cuando empieza el programa
1958: that's when I was born → 1958: (en) ese año nací yo
she told me about when she was in London → me contó lo que le pasó cuando estuvo en Londres

3.2. (relative use)

If when follows a noun (e.g. day, time) and defines the noun, translate using (en) que not cuando:

→ (en) que
during the time when she lived abroad → durante el tiempo (en) que vivió en el extranjero
the year when you were born → el año (en) que naciste
she can't remember a time when she wasn't happy → no recuerda una época (en) que no fuese feliz
there are times when I wish I'd never met him → hay momentos en los que desearía no haberlo conocido nunca

If the when clause following a noun provides additional information which does not define or restrict the noun - in English as in Spanish commas are obligatory here - translate using cuando:

→ cuando
some days, when we're very busy, we don't finish work till very late → algunos días, cuando tenemos mucho trabajo, no acabamos hasta muy tarde

B. CONJUNCTION

1. (= at, during or after the time that)

As a conjunction, when can be translated by cuando (without an accent) followed by either the indicative or the subjunctive. Use the indicative when talking about the past or making general statements about the present. Use the subjunctive when the action is or was in the future:

→ cuando
when I came in → cuando entré
when I was young → cuando era joven
he had just sat down when the phone rang → acababa de sentarse cuando sonó el teléfono
everything looks nicer when the sun is shining → todo está más bonito cuando brilla el sol
he arrived at 8 o'clock, when traffic is at its peak → llegó a las ocho en punto, en lo peor del tráfico
call me when you get there → llámame cuando llegues
when the bridge is built → cuando se construya el puente
you can go when we have finished → puedes irte cuando hayamos terminado
he said he'd tell me when I was older → dijo que me lo diría cuando fuera mayor

If when + VERB can be substituted by on + -ING in English and describes an action that takes place at the same time as another one or follows it very closely, you can use al + INFINITIVE:

be careful when crossing or when you cross the road → ten cuidado al cruzar la calle
when he went out he saw it was raining → al salir vio que estaba lloviendo
when a student at Oxford, she → cuando era estudiante or estudiaba en Oxford ...
my father, when young, had a fine tenor voice → mi padre, de joven or cuando era joven, tenía una buena voz de tenor
when just three years old, he was → cuando tenía sólo tres años, era ...
the floor is slippery when wet → el suelo resbala cuando está mojado
hardly had the film begun when there was a power cut → apenas había empezado la película cuando se fue la corriente
even when → aun cuando

2. (= if) → si, cuando
this sounds expensive when compared with other cars → éste parece caro si or cuando se compara con otros coches
how can I relax when I've got loads of things to do? → ¿cómo puedo relajarme si or cuando tengo montones de cosas que hacer?
I wouldn't walk when I could get the bus → no iría a pie si pudiese tomar el autobús

3. (= whereas) → cuando
he thought he was recovering, when in fact → pensaba que se estaba recuperando, cuando de hecho ...
she made us study when all we wanted to do was play → nos hacía estudiar cuando lo único que queríamos hacer era jugar

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

when

[ˈ^hwɛn]

adv → quand
When did he go? → Quand est-il parti?

conj

(= at, during, after the time that) → quand, lorsque
She was reading when I came in → Elle lisait quand je suis entré., Elle lisait lorsque je suis entré.
a time when → une époque où
on the day when I met him → le jour où je l'ai rencontré

(= whereas) → alors que
I thought I was wrong when in fact I was right → J'ai cru que j'avais tort alors qu'en fait j'avais raison.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

when

adv

(= at what time) → wann; since when have you been here? → seit wann sind Sie hier?; … since when he has been here → … und seitdem ist er hier; say when! (inf) → sag or schrei (inf) → halt!

(rel) on the day when → an dem Tag, an dem or als or da (liter) → or wo (inf); at the time when → zu der Zeit, zu der or als or da (liter) → or wo (inf); he wrote last week, up till when I had heard nothing from him → er schrieb letzte Woche und bis dahin hatte ich nichts von ihm gehört; in 1960, up till when he … → im Jahre 1960, bis zu welchem Zeitpunkt er …; during the time when he was in Germany → während der Zeit, als or wo or die (inf) → er in Deutschland war

conj

→ wenn; (with past reference) → als; you can go when I have finished → du kannst gehen, sobald or wenn ich fertig bin; he did it when young → er tat es in seiner Jugend

(+gerund) → beim; (= at or during which time) → wobei; when operating the machine → beim Benutzen or bei Benutzung der Maschine; be careful when crossing the road → seien Sie beim Überqueren der Straße vorsichtig, seien Sie vorsichtig, wenn Sie über die Straße gehen; the PM is coming here in May, when he will … → der Premier kommt im Mai hierher und wird dann …

(= although, whereas) → wo … doch; why do you do it that way when it would be much easier like this? → warum machst du es denn auf die Art, wo es doch so viel einfacher wäre?

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

when

(wen) adverb

at what time(?). When did you arrive?; When will you see her again?; I asked him when the incident had occurred; Tell me when to jump. wanneer مَتى кога quando kdy wann hvornår πότεcuando millal کى milloin quandמתי कब kada mikor? bilamana hvenær quando いつ (시간을 물어) 언제 kada kad bilakah wanneernårkiedy quando când когда kedy kdaj kada när เมื่อ ne zaman 何時 коли کب khi nào 何时

(wən, wen) conjunction

1. (at or during) the time at which. It happened when I was abroad; When you see her, give her this message; When I've finished, I'll telephone you. wanneer عِندَما когато quando když, až als; wenn da; når ότανcuando kui وقتيکه kun quand, lorsqueכאשר जब kad amikor ketika þegar quando ～する時 …인 때(경우)에 (tuo metu) kai (tad) kad apabila toen, wanneerda; nårgdy, kiedy quando când когда keď ko kada när ขณะที่ ...-diğinde, ...-ince 當...時 коли جب khi mà 当...时

2. in spite of the fact that; considering that. Why do you walk when you have a car? wanneer بالرَّغْم من، في الوَقْت الذي щом quando když wenn når ενώsi kuigi موقعى که vaikka alors que בְּעוֹד שֶ- बावजूद kad noha, amikor pedig padahal þrátt fyrir að; með tilliti til se ～というのに …에도 불구하고 jeigu ja sedangkan alsnår, skjønt, endaskoro quando când; deşi несмотря на keď ko kada när แม้ว่า olduğu hâlde 既然 коли, якщо باوجودیکہ mặc dù 既然

whence (wens) adverb

from what place or circumstance (?); from where (?). vanwaar, van waar من أيْن؟ откъде de onde / donde odkud woher hvorfra από πού; de dónde kust(kohast) از کجا mistä d'oûמהיכן कहां से, जहां से odakle honnan? dari mana hvaðan da dove どこから 어디로부터 iš kur no kurienes dari mana vanwaar hvorfra?; hvor/hva ... fra? skąd? donde de unde откуда odkiaľ odkod otkuda varifrån, hur [kommer det sig] จากที่ไหน nereden, ne yüzden 從何處或何種情況 звідки کس جگہ سے do đâu 从哪里或何处

whenˈever adverb, conjunction

1. at any time that. Come and see me whenever you want to. wanneer ook al في أي وَقْت، كُلَّما когато и да е sempre que kdykoli wann immer når som helst οποτεδήποτεcuando, siempre que millal iganes هر وقت که milloin tahansa toutes les fois que מָתַי שֶׁ- जब भी kad god akármikor setiap kali hvenær sem er ogni volta che, tutte le volte che いつでも …할 때는 언제나 kada tik kad vien entah bila wanneer ... ook når som helstkiedykolwiek sempre que oricând когда бы ни kedykoľvek kadarkoli kad god närhelst เมื่อไรก็ตาม her ne zaman, (ol)duğu her zaman 無論何時 коли جب کبھی bất kỳ khi nào 无论何时

2. at every time that. I go to the theatre whenever I get the chance. wanneer, wanneer ook al كلَّما، في كُل وَقْتٍ когато sempre que pokaždé když sooft hver gang όποτεcuando, siempre que niipea kui هر زمان که aina kun chaque fois que מָתַישֶהוּ हर वक्त kad god valahányszor kapan saja hvenær sem ogni volta che いつも …했을 때는 곧 kai tik kad vien bila-bila sahaja telkens alsnår, hver gang gdy tylko sempre que de câte ori всякий раз, когда vždy keď kadarkoli kad god närhelst เมื่อไรก็ตาม her ne zaman 每當 кожного разу, коли, щоразу جب بھی bất kỳ khi nào 每当

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

when

→ عَنْدَما, مَتَى kdy, když hvornår, når wann, wenn όταν, πότε cuando, cuándo kun, milloin quand kada quando ･･･する時は, いつ ...인 때, 언제 wanneer når kiedy quando когда då, när เมื่อใด เวลาใด, เมื่อหรือขณะที่ ne zaman, ne zaman ki khi, khi nào 什么时候, 在...的时候

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

when

pron. cuándo;

Since ___ ? → ¿Desde ___?;

conj. cuando; si.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

• Please tell me when to get off → مِنْ فَضْلِكَ أخْبِرْني عِنْدَما يأْتي مَوْعِدُ النُزُولِ → Řekněte mi, prosím, kde mám vystoupit → Vil De sige til, når jeg skal af? → Sagen Sie mir bitte, wann ich aussteigen muss → Παρακαλώ, πείτε μου πότε να κατέβω → Por favor, avíseme cuando tenga que bajarme → Sanokaa, kun minun pitää jäädä pois → Merci de m'indiquer quand descendre → Molim vas, recite mi kada trebam izaći → Mi può dire quando devo scendere, per favore? → いつ降りればいいのか教えてください → 언제 내려야 하는지 알려 주세요 → Kunt u mij waarschuwen als ik uit moet stappen? → Kan du være så snill å si fra når jeg skal av? → Proszę mi powiedzieć kiedy mam wysiąść → Por favor, me avise quando eu devo descer → Пожалуйста, скажите мне, когда выходить → Kan ni säga till när jag skall gå av? → ช่วยบอกฉันด้วยว่าจะต้องลงรถเมื่อไร → İnmem gereken yerde beni uyarır mısınız? → Làm ơn bảo tôi khi nào phải xuống → 到站时请告诉我好吗？

Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009