sobald

Sobald is a German subordinating temporal conjunction meaning “as soon as.” It introduces a subordinate clause that describes the time of the event in relation to the main clause. In the subordinate clause, the finite verb typically comes at the end, and a comma separates the two clauses.

Examples illustrate the basic pattern: “Sobald ich ankomme, rufe ich dich an.” Here the action in the subordinate clause (ankommen) occurs first, followed by the main clause action (ich rufe). Another common construction places the main clause first: “Ich rufe dich an, sobald ich zu Hause bin.” In this case, the subordinate clause still contains the verb at the end, but the sentence order places the main clause ahead.

Tense usage follows standard German rules for temporal clauses. When the main clause refers to present or future events, the subordinate clause often uses the present: “Sobald ich Zeit habe, mache ich das.” If the subordinate action is completed before the main clause, the subordinate can use the perfect: “Sobald ich das erledigt habe, rufe ich dich an.” The conjunction emphasizes immediacy and a single, sequential event rather than a repeated condition.

Sobald contrasts with wenn, where “wenn” typically marks a condition that may recur or be repeated. “Sobald” suggests that the main event will occur immediately after the completion of the subordinate event and often carries a sense of determinacy or urgency.

Etymology traces “sobald” to the combination of so and bald, meaning “as soon” or “as early as,” reflecting its function of signaling rapid succession. It is widely used in spoken and written German, across formal and informal registers.