German · B1 · Family moment
At Baby's Pace in German
Use solange (“as long as”) to describe care and activities that continue while your baby feels comfortable, needs support, or remains interested.
What you'll learn
- Describe activities that continue in response to your baby's signals.
- Place the finite verb at the end of a solange clause.
- Put the main-clause verb before its subject when the solange clause comes first.
German phrases for at baby's pace
Solange du dich wohlfühlst, gehen wir weiter spazieren.
As long as you are comfortable, we'll keep walking.
Sich wohlfühlen means to feel comfortable or at ease. Weiter shows that the walk continues.
Ich halte deine Hand, solange du mich brauchst.
I'll hold your hand as long as you need me.
Brauchst goes at the end of the solange clause.
Solange du in der Badewanne bist, bleibe ich direkt neben dir.
As long as you are in the bath, I'll stay right beside you.
After the opening solange clause, the main clause begins with bleibe ich, not ich bleibe.
Wir können uns dieses Buch anschauen, solange es dich interessiert.
We can look at this book as long as you are interested.
Solange es dich interessiert literally means “as long as it interests you.” Es refers to the book.
Solange dein Zahnfleisch wehtut, biete ich dir einen kühlen Beißring an.
As long as your gums are sore, I'll offer you a cool teething ring.
German uses the singular das Zahnfleisch for “gums.” Anbieten separates in the main clause: biete … an.
Ich singe weiter, solange dir das Lied gefällt.
I'll keep singing as long as you enjoy the song.
Das Lied gefällt dir means “you like the song.” The person who likes it is expressed with the dative dir.
Solange du fröhlich alles erkundest, sitze ich in der Nähe und schaue zu.
As long as you are happily exploring, I'll sit nearby and watch.
Alles erkunden means to explore everything around you. Zuschauen means to watch an activity.
Ich lasse die Vorhänge geschlossen, solange du schläfst.
I'll leave the curtains closed as long as you are asleep.
Etwas geschlossen lassen means to leave something closed. Schläfst is the du form of schlafen.
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
sich wohlfühlen
to feel comfortable; to feel at ease
Use a reflexive pronoun: du fühlst dich wohl. In a solange clause: solange du dich wohlfühlst.
weiter
on; further; continuing
With an activity, it often expresses “keep”: Ich singe weiter means “I keep singing.”
die Badewanne
bathtub
For location, use in with the dative: in der Badewanne.
das Zahnfleisch
gums
This is a singular noun in German: Das Zahnfleisch tut weh.
der Beißring
teething ring
After anbieten, the offered object is accusative: einen kühlen Beißring.
gefallen
to be pleasing to; to be liked by
The thing liked is the subject: Das Lied gefällt dir means “You like the song.”
in der Nähe
nearby
A useful expression for reassuring your child that you are close.
die Vorhänge
curtains
The singular is der Vorhang. Geschlossen means “closed.”
Solange: a continuing condition or duration
Solange means “as long as” or “for as long as.” It links an activity to a state or condition that continues. It is written as one word when used as this conjunction.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing condition | solange + ongoing condition | Wir gehen weiter spazieren, solange du dich wohlfühlst. |
| Duration | solange + continuing state | Ich bleibe neben dir, solange du schläfst. |
Verb at the end of the solange clause
Solange introduces a subordinate clause. Its finite verb—the verb that agrees with the subject—goes at the end. Separable verbs stay joined when they are the finite verb in this position. Use a comma between the two clauses.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple verb | solange + subject + other words + finite verb | Ich halte deine Hand, solange du mich brauchst. |
| Separable verb | solange + subject + other words + joined finite verb | Wir gehen weiter spazieren, solange du dich wohlfühlst. |
Main-clause word order after a fronted clause
When the solange clause comes first, it fills the first position of the whole sentence. The main-clause finite verb follows immediately after the comma, before the main-clause subject.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Main clause first | subject + finite verb + …, solange + … + finite verb | Ich bleibe direkt neben dir, solange du in der Badewanne bist. |
| Solange clause first | Solange + … + finite verb, main-clause finite verb + subject + … | Solange du in der Badewanne bist, bleibe ich direkt neben dir. |
Present tense for promises and plans
German often uses the present tense where English uses “I'll” or “we'll,” especially when the intended action is clear from context.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present-tense reassurance | ich + present-tense verb | Ich halte deine Hand, solange du mich brauchst. |
More examples
Solange du mich brauchst, bleibe ich bei dir.
As long as you need me, I'll stay with you.
Brauchst ends the subordinate clause; bleibe comes before ich in the main clause.
Wir spielen weiter, solange du Spaß hast.
We'll keep playing as long as you're having fun.
With the solange clause second, the main clause keeps its usual subject–verb order.
Solange du schläfst, bin ich ganz leise.
As long as you're asleep, I'll be very quiet.
The present tense bin naturally expresses a reassuring promise here.