German conjunctions: "bevor, während & nachdem" 🎯

Telling someone what happened before, during, or after something else is one of the most useful things you can do in a German conversation — and three small conjunctions, bevor, während, and nachdem, do exactly that. Here's how each one works, plus one bonus meaning of während that catches a lot of learners off guard.

Bevor (Before)

Bevor introduces the later of two events — the main clause happens first, and the bevor-clause names whatever comes after it. Unlike nachdem, bevor doesn't require any special tense shift; both clauses can simply match.

Ich rufe dich an, bevor ich nach Hause fahre. (I'll call you before I drive home.)

Während (While / During — and Also "Whereas")

Used for two things happening at the same time, während means "while" or "during": Während ich koche, hört mein Mann Musik. (While I cook, my husband listens to music.) But während has a second, less obvious meaning: it can also mean "whereas," contrasting two facts rather than describing simultaneous timing — Während ich Kaffee mag, trinkt meine Schwester lieber Tee. (Whereas I like coffee, my sister prefers tea.)

Nachdem (After)

Nachdem is the special case of the three: because it describes an event that's already finished before the main clause's event happens, German requires the nachdem-clause to be one tense "further back" than the main clause — typically Plusquamperfekt in the nachdem-clause paired with Perfekt or Präteritum in the main clause.

Nachdem ich gegessen hatte, ging ich ins Bett. (After I had eaten, I went to bed.)

Nachdem's tense rule is detailed enough that it gets its own full lesson — see our dedicated nachdem video and post for the complete breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between bevor, während, and nachdem?

"Bevor" means before, "während" means while/during (or "whereas"), and "nachdem" means after — all three connect two events and send the verb to the end of their own clause.

Does bevor require a special tense?

No — bevor works with matching tenses in both clauses.

Can während mean something other than "while"?

Yes — während can also mean "whereas," used to contrast two facts rather than describe simultaneous timing.

Why is nachdem different from bevor and während?

Nachdem requires a tense shift: the nachdem-clause needs to be one step further in the past than the main clause, e.g. Plusquamperfekt versus Perfekt.

Are bevor, während, and nachdem followed by verb-final word order?

Yes — all three are subordinating conjunctions, so the conjugated verb moves to the end of their clause.

Describing a sequence of events like this comes up constantly in our B1 German course, with real conversation practice.