What does “when” mean?
- 1
adverbused to ask at what time
When does the movie start?
- 2
conjunctionat the time that
Call me when you get home.
When at a glance
- Part of speech
- adverb & conjunction
- CEFR level
- A1 (beginner)
- Pronunciation
- /wɛn/ · WEN
How to use “when” correctly
Don’t use “will” after “when” for the future: “Call me when you arrive”, not “when you will arrive”.
Common phrases with “when”
- since when
- when to do sth
- even when
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Word family
- whenever
Idioms with “when”
- Cross that bridge when you come to it: To deal with a possible problem only if and when it actually happens.
- When it rains, it pours: When one bad thing happens, other bad things often happen at the same time.
- When pigs fly: Never; used to say something will not happen.
“when” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- again adverbA1one more time; another time
- ago adverbA1before now; used to say how far back in the past something happened
- always adverbA1at all times or every time
- later adverbA1at a time in the future or after the time you are talking about
- never adverbA1not at any time
- now adverbA1at the present time
- often adverbA1many times or in many situations
- PM adverbA1after midday; used after a time between 12 noon and midnight