when
part of speech
conjunction, adverb; pronoun
meaning for a pupil
1) When asks at what time something happens: «When is lunch?». tree →
2) When tells the time or the case in which something happens: «When it rains, we stay in». tree →
3) When can mean «as soon as»: «Call me when you get home». tree →
4) When can mean «although» or «since»: «Why walk when you can ride?» tree →
5) (casual) «Say when» means tell me when to stop pouring; «since when?» shows surprise or doubt. tree →
6) (formal) Exams say «at which time», «upon», «in the event that», «whereupon» and «at what point». tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Often marks the moment in a story ("when Moses heard it") or the case in a law ("when a man..."). In the primary lessons: stating a rule or a moment in the story; in maths «when» often begins a rule: «When we put two groups together, we add»; «When does it end» asks for a time; phrases: «since when», «when I was little», «say when», «when it comes to»; in casual talk «when's the bus?», «say when», «since when do you like maths?»; in rough talk «when I get my hands on you…» (an angry threat), «when are you gonna shut up?»; in the exam voice «in the event that», «upon receipt», «at what point in time»
examples
- And Isaac was threescore years old when she bore them. (Torah GEN.25.26, JPS 1917) tree →
- And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. (Torah GEN.27.5, JPS 1917) tree →
- And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face. (Torah NUM.16.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- My soul failed me when he spoke. (Writings SNG.5.6, JPS 1917) tree →
- When thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest. (Prophets JER.11.15, JPS 1917) tree →
- And who shall stand when he appeareth? (Prophets MAL.3.2, JPS 1917) tree →
- When we put two groups together, we add. tree →
- When Tom came home, he had 3 cards left. tree →
- When does the film end? tree →
- When water freezes, it turns into ice. tree →
- Call Mum when you get to school. tree →
- When is your birthday? tree →
- Wash your hands when you come in from outside. tree →
- when's the bus, 8:40? its 8:25 now tree →
- Say when… stop, that's 3 spoonfuls! tree →
- When I get my hands on whoever took my last 2 biscuits… tree →
- Upon the subsequent arrival of 5 passengers, ascertain the total number on board. tree →
- Why walk when you can take the bus? tree →
- But when was that to be? tree →
note
Introduces a rule or a time; carries no operation clue. «When does it end» asks for a time. «upon» and «in the event that» in an exam mean when. Trap: «when» asks about time, «where» about place. «when I get my hands on you» is an angry threat, not a time.
In the corpora
- male and female created He them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
- And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
- And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
- And it shall come to pass, when I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow is seen in the cloud,
- And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «when» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.