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Hello there im learning German and I have read these three sentences that were built with Temporalen Konnektoren and the case here is with sobald (“unmittelbare Abfolge”):

  1. Sobald Paula eine neue Arbeit gefunden hatte, ist sie nach Berlin umgezogen.

  2. Sobald Paula eine neue Arbeit gefunden hat, zieht sie nach Berlin um.

  3. Sobald Paula eine neue Arbeit findet, zieht sie nach Berlin um.

Please explain the difference in the meaning between these as I understood that sobald means “die Bedeutung wird als Zukunft gerechnet”.

1 Answer 1

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Sobald tells a condition for an immediately following event.

Sobald Paula eine neue Arbeit gefunden hatte, ist sie nach Berlin umgezogen.

The first clause is in Plusquamperfekt, the second clause in Perfekt. So both finding a job and immediately moving to Berlin after that event happened in the past.

Sobald Paula eine neue Arbeit gefunden hat, zieht sie nach Berlin um.

First clause is in Perfekt, second in Präsens. Paula is looking for a new job at the moment, but it takes its time. Moving to Berlin will follow immediately as soon that condition is met.

Sobald Paula eine neue Arbeit findet, zieht sie nach Berlin um.

Both clauses are in Präsens. Finding a job and moving to Berlin happen in the near future. This is a general statement about Paula's plans.

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