conjunction
when, as, than
A2
'Als': a subordinating conjunction with several uses: 'when' for single past events, 'as' in roles or functions, and 'than' in comparisons. It sends the conjugated verb to the end of the clause. Not interchangeable with 'wann' for questions or 'wie' in many comparative contexts.
Examples
Als ich ein Kind war, spielte ich jeden Tag im Park.
When I was a child, I used to play in the park every day.
Als das Wetter besser wurde, gingen die Nachbarn in den Park, weil sie frische Luft brauchten.
When the weather improved, the neighbors went to the park because they needed fresh air.
Dieses Auto ist teurer als das andere Modell.
This car is more expensive than the other model.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine a timeline with one marked point and the word 'als' like a flag saying 'at that time'; also picture a balance scale for comparisons (than).
Sounds like 'alls' — think of 'all's moments' for time (when) or 'all's roles' for 'as'.
Notes
Als has two common uses: temporal ('when' for single past events — contrasted with 'wenn' for repeated/present/future) and comparative ('than' in comparisons). It can also mean 'as' when indicating a role or capacity. A common learner pitfall is mixing 'als' and 'wenn' in temporal clauses.