When learning German, understanding small differences between words can be a big help in speaking
and writing more naturally. Today, we're looking at two words that often confuse beginners: seit
and seitdem
. Both relate to time, but they are used in slightly different ways.
Seit
is a preposition that means "since" or "for" in English. It is used to talk about a period
of time that started in the past and continues into the present. For example, if you've been
learning German for two years, you would say "Ich lerne seit zwei Jahren Deutsch." This means
"I have been learning German for two years."
Seitdem
is a conjunction or an adverb, and it also means "since" in English. It is used to
connect two clauses and talk about something that started happening at a certain point in the past
and is still happening now. For example, "Ich habe ihn nicht gesehen, seitdem er nach Berlin gezogen
ist." This means "I haven't seen him since he moved to Berlin."
The main difference between seit
and seitdem
lies in their grammatical roles and usage in sentences.
Seit
is used as a preposition with a time expression, whereas seitdem
is used to introduce a
clause, often referring back to a specific event mentioned in a previous sentence or clause.
To help clarify, let's look at some examples:
Seit
:
Seitdem
:
While seit
and seitdem
both relate to time and can sometimes be used to convey a similar meaning,
they serve different functions in a sentence. Remembering that seit
is a preposition used with time
expressions and seitdem
is a conjunction or adverb used to link clauses can help you decide which to
use. With a bit of practice, you'll find it becomes easier to choose the right word for your sentences.
Understanding these small differences can make a big difference in how naturally your German sounds, so keep practicing!
Download our free pdf for German learners, with 99 German words & idioms. Each idiom comes with an example, a translation & helpful vocabulary.
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