German · B1 · Family moment
Growing Into Independence in German
Use seitdem (“since”) to connect a new habit or past event with a positive change that continues now. These phrases help you notice and encourage your child's growing independence.
What you'll learn
- Describe positive changes linked to growing independence.
- Use seitdem to show when a continuing change began.
- Place the finite verb at the end of a seitdem clause.
- Choose present tense for continuing habits and perfect tense for completed events.
German phrases for growing into independence
Seitdem du mit Freunden zu Fuß zur Schule gehst, bist du selbstbewusster geworden.
Since you started walking to school with friends, you have become more confident.
The present tense gehst describes the continuing habit. Seitdem makes its starting point clear without a separate word for “started.”
Seitdem wir einen Aufgabenplan eingeführt haben, weiß jeder, was er zu tun hat.
Since we introduced a chore chart, everyone knows their jobs.
Eingeführt haben describes a completed change. The finite verb haben comes last in the seitdem clause.
Du schläfst besser, seitdem du dein Handy nachts unten lässt.
You sleep better since you started leaving your phone downstairs at night.
Unten means “downstairs” in this context. Lässt is the du form of lassen (“to leave”).
Seitdem du dem Schachclub beigetreten bist, hast du zwei neue Freunde gefunden.
Since you joined the chess club, you have made two new friends.
Beitreten (“to join”) takes the dative: dem Schachclub. Its perfect tense uses sein: du bist beigetreten.
Seitdem du einen Terminplaner benutzt, vergisst du weniger Abgabetermine.
Since you began using a planner, you forget fewer deadlines.
Abgabetermine are deadlines for handing things in, such as homework or projects. Vergisst is the du form of vergessen.
Dein Zimmer bleibt ordentlicher, seitdem du jeden Abend deine Kleidung wegräumst.
Your room stays tidier since you started putting your clothes away each evening.
Wegräumen means “to put away.” In a subordinate clause, its separable prefix stays attached: wegräumst.
Seitdem wir deinen Schreibtisch in die Nähe des Fensters gestellt haben, hast du mehr Licht zum Zeichnen.
Since we moved your desk near the window, you have more light for drawing.
In die Nähe des Fensters means “to a spot near the window.” Zum Zeichnen means “for drawing.”
Wir haben mehr Zeit zum Reden, seitdem wir ohne Bildschirme zu Abend essen.
We have more time to talk since we started eating dinner without screens.
Zu Abend essen means “to eat dinner.” Here, seitdem with the present tense describes a habit that began earlier and continues now.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
selbstbewusster
more confident
Comparative of selbstbewusst. Useful for praising growing confidence.
der Aufgabenplan
chore chart; task schedule
A plan showing who is responsible for which tasks.
das Handy
mobile phone; cell phone
The usual everyday German word for a mobile phone.
Freunde finden
to make friends
German uses finden (“to find”) in this expression.
der Terminplaner
planner
A paper or digital planner for organizing dates and tasks.
der Abgabetermin
submission deadline
Plural: die Abgabetermine. Common when discussing school assignments.
ordentlicher
tidier
Comparative of ordentlich. After bleiben, it needs no adjective ending.
der Bildschirm
screen
Plural: die Bildschirme. Ohne Bildschirme refers to avoiding screen use.
Seitdem connects a starting point with the present
Seitdem means “since,” not “because.” It introduces an event or habit that began earlier and is linked to a situation continuing now. Use the present tense for an ongoing habit and the perfect tense for a completed starting event.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing habit | seitdem + subject + other information + present-tense verb | seitdem du einen Terminplaner benutzt |
| Completed starting event | seitdem + subject + other information + past participle + haben/sein | seitdem du dem Schachclub beigetreten bist |
Put the finite verb last
In a seitdem clause, the finite verb—the verb that changes to match the subject—comes last. In the perfect tense, this is haben or sein. Separable verbs stay joined when they are the finite verb at the end.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present tense | du benutzt → seitdem du … benutzt | seitdem du einen Terminplaner benutzt |
| Perfect tense | wir haben eingeführt → seitdem wir … eingeführt haben | seitdem wir einen Aufgabenplan eingeführt haben |
| Separable verb | du räumst weg → seitdem du … wegräumst | seitdem du jeden Abend deine Kleidung wegräumst |
Either clause can come first
Separate the clauses with a comma. If the seitdem clause comes first, it fills the first position of the whole sentence, so the main clause begins with its finite verb. If the main clause comes first, its usual word order stays unchanged.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Seitdem clause first | Seitdem … verb, main-clause verb + subject … | Seitdem du einen Terminplaner benutzt, vergisst du weniger Abgabetermine. |
| Main clause first | Subject + main-clause verb …, seitdem … verb. | Du vergisst weniger Abgabetermine, seitdem du einen Terminplaner benutzt. |
More examples
Seitdem du deine Tasche abends packst, hast du morgens mehr Zeit.
Since you started packing your bag in the evening, you have more time in the morning.
Packst comes last in the seitdem clause; hast comes immediately after the comma.
Du bist selbstständiger geworden, seitdem du deine Aufgaben selbst planst.
You have become more independent since you started planning your tasks yourself.
The perfect tense describes the change, while the present tense describes the continuing habit.