German · B1 · Family moment
Our Digital Deal in German
Use solange (“as long as”) to make a fair family screen agreement. Connect digital freedom with respect, shared routines, enough sleep and support when needed.
What you'll learn
- Describe permissions that depend on continuing conditions.
- Use solange to say how long an action or situation continues.
- Put the finite verb at the end of a solange clause.
- Place the main-clause verb immediately after a fronted solange clause.
German phrases for our digital deal
Solange deine Hausaufgaben erledigt sind, kannst du bis zum Abendessen spielen.
As long as your homework is finished, you can play until dinner.
Erledigt sind describes the completed state of the homework. The solange clause ends with sind; the main clause begins kannst du.
Du kannst im Gruppenchat bleiben, solange alle respektvoll mit dir umgehen.
You can stay in the group chat as long as everyone treats you respectfully.
Mit jemandem respektvoll umgehen means “to treat someone respectfully.” In the subordinate clause, the separable verb umgehen stays together at the end.
Solange wir zusammen essen, bleiben unsere Handys im Flur.
As long as we are eating together, our phones stay in the hallway.
Solange covers the whole shared mealtime. German uses the present tense essen for “are eating.”
Du kannst das Tablet benutzen, solange dein Bruder es nicht für die Hausaufgaben braucht.
You can use the tablet as long as your brother does not need it for homework.
Es refers back to das Tablet. Braucht is the finite verb and comes last in the solange clause.
Solange du vor jedem Download fragst, kannst du neue Apps ausprobieren.
As long as you ask before downloading anything, you can explore new apps.
Vor jedem Download means “before every download.” Apps ausprobieren is a natural way to say “try out” or “explore apps.”
Ich bleibe in der Nähe, solange du Hilfe bei den Datenschutzeinstellungen brauchst.
I will stay nearby as long as you need help with the privacy settings.
The present tense bleibe naturally expresses this promise. Solange shows that the support continues for as long as it is needed.
Solange dein Freund zu Besuch ist, könnt ihr zusammen entscheiden, was ihr spielen wollt.
As long as your friend is visiting, you can decide together what to play.
Ihr addresses both children. For a female friend, use deine Freundin. The embedded clause was ihr spielen wollt also has its finite verb at the end.
Wir können diese Vereinbarung beibehalten, solange du genug Schlaf bekommst.
We can keep this agreement as long as you get enough sleep.
Eine Vereinbarung beibehalten means “to keep an agreement in place.” Bekommst comes last in the solange clause.
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
die Vereinbarung
agreement
Use eine Vereinbarung treffen for “make an agreement” and eine Vereinbarung beibehalten for “keep an agreement in place.”
erledigt
done; completed
Die Hausaufgaben sind erledigt means that the homework is finished, not that it is still being done.
respektvoll mit jemandem umgehen
to treat someone respectfully
Mit takes the dative: mit dir, mit mir, mit anderen.
das Handy
mobile phone; cell phone
A common everyday German word. The plural is die Handys.
die Datenschutzeinstellungen
privacy settings
Usually used in the plural. After bei, use the dative: bei den Datenschutzeinstellungen.
zu Besuch sein
to be visiting
A useful expression for someone spending time at your home.
Solange: continuing conditions and duration
Solange means “as long as.” It can express a condition that must remain true or the time during which something continues. The context shows which meaning is intended.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing condition | Permission + solange + condition | Du kannst im Gruppenchat bleiben, solange alle respektvoll mit dir umgehen. |
| Duration | Ongoing action + solange + ongoing situation | Ich bleibe in der Nähe, solange du Hilfe brauchst. |
| Duration versus endpoint | solange = as long as; bis = until | Solange deine Hausaufgaben erledigt sind, kannst du bis zum Abendessen spielen. |
Verb-final word order
Solange introduces a subordinate clause. Its finite verb—the verb marked for person and tense—goes at the end. Separate this clause from the main clause with a comma.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple verb | solange + subject + other information + finite verb | Du kannst das Tablet benutzen, solange dein Bruder es nicht braucht. |
| Completed state with sein | solange + subject + erledigt + finite form of sein | Du kannst spielen, solange deine Hausaufgaben erledigt sind. |
| Separable verb | solange + subject + other information + joined finite verb | Du kannst bleiben, solange alle respektvoll mit dir umgehen. |
Starting with the solange clause
When the solange clause comes first, it fills the first position of the whole sentence. The main clause therefore begins with its finite verb, followed by its subject. Do not add another subject before that verb.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Main clause first | Subject + finite verb + …, solange + … + finite verb. | Unsere Handys bleiben im Flur, solange wir zusammen essen. |
| Solange clause first | Solange + … + finite verb, main-clause finite verb + subject + … | Solange wir zusammen essen, bleiben unsere Handys im Flur. |
| Main clause with a modal verb | Solange + … + finite verb, modal verb + subject + … + infinitive. | Solange du vorher fragst, kannst du neue Apps ausprobieren. |
More examples
Du kannst online spielen, solange du genug Schlaf bekommst.
You can play online as long as you get enough sleep.
A continuing condition follows the permission; bekommst comes last.
Solange deine Schwester das Tablet braucht, bleibt es bei ihr.
As long as your sister needs the tablet, it stays with her.
After the fronted solange clause, the main clause begins bleibt es.
Solange wir die Einstellungen prüfen, bleibe ich bei dir.
As long as we are checking the settings, I will stay with you.
Solange expresses duration. The main clause uses the order bleibe ich.