When Meaning
/ˈwɛn/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Definition
advAt what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce direct or indirect questions about time.
advAt what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce direct or indirect questions about time., Used after a noun or noun phrase in isolation to express impatience with an anticipated future event.
Sentence Examples
Word Origin & History
From Middle English when(ne), whan(ne), from Old English hwonne, from Proto-West Germanic *hwannē, from Proto-West Germanic *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan (“at what time, when”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷís (interrogative base). Cognate with Scots whan (“when”), Dutch wanneer (“when”), wan (“when”) and wen (“when, if”), Low German wannehr (“when”), wann (“when”) and wenn (“if, when”), German wann (“when”) and wenn (“when, if”), Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌽 (ƕan, “when, how”), Latin quandō (“when”). More at who. Interjection sense: a playful misunderstanding of "say when" (i.e. say something / speak up when you want me to stop) as "say [the word] when".