Ko, medtem ko, dokler, preden: time through a subordinate clause
You already know the time adverbs; the u55 unit demands something else: tying two events into one sentence. There are five conjunctions, and each is in charge of its own shape of relation. For example: “Medtem ko sem kuhal, je on pospravljal kuhinjo” — While I was cooking, he was tidying the kitchen. A rule from the Slovenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
You already know the time adverbs; the u55 unit demands something else: tying two events into one sentence. There are five conjunctions, and each is in charge of its own shape of relation.
ko — when, about a single event: Ko sem prišel domov, je bilo že temno. Note: in the past Slovenian says ko, not kdaj. Kdaj is only the question word: Kdaj prideš?
medtem ko — while, about two simultaneous actions: Medtem ko sem kuhal, je on pospravljal. Medtem without ko works as an adverb: Medtem sem skuhal kosilo.
dokler — as long as, until: Počakaj, dokler ne pride. Pay attention to ne: in the meaning 'until' Slovenian puts a negation, and it is not a negation: dokler ne pride is 'until he comes'. English 'until' needs no negative, so simply accept ne as part of the conjunction. Dokler without ne means simply 'as long as': Dokler sem bil mlad, sem veliko hodil v hribe.
preden — before: Preden odideš, zapri okno. English 'before' covers it exactly, and no ne follows it.
potem ko — after: Potem ko so odšli, je bilo tiho. The adverb potem — then — you know; the conjunction is two words long.
Tense in the clause. The main difference from English: no backshift and no tense agreement. Rekel je, da pride — he said he's coming (not 'he was coming'). And in a future time clause Slovenian often keeps the present: Ko končam, ti povem — when I finish, I'll tell you; English drops 'will' here too, so this one feels natural. The form ko bom končal also occurs, but the short one is livelier.
The comma is obligatory before each of these conjunctions — Slovenian punctuation is stricter than English here.
Table
| conjunction | meaning | example | the trap |
|---|---|---|---|
| ko | when | ko sem prišel | not “kdaj” |
| medtem ko | while | medtem ko sem kuhal | two actions at once |
| dokler ne | until | dokler ne pride | “ne” is obligatory |
| dokler | as long as | dokler sem bil mlad | without “ne” |
| preden | before | preden odideš | without “ne” |
| potem ko | after | potem ko so odšli | two words |
| takoj ko | as soon as | takoj ko pride | the future as the present |
| odkar | since | odkar živim tu | the start of the count |
By example
- Medtem ko sem kuhal, je on pospravljal kuhinjoWhile I was cooking, he was tidying the kitchen
- Počakaj tu, dokler ne pridem po tebeWait here until I come for you
- Preden odideš, ugasni luč in zapri oknoBefore you leave, turn off the light and close the window
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Ko, medtem ko, dokler, preden: how does it work in Slovenian?
You already know the time adverbs; the u55 unit demands something else: tying two events into one sentence. There are five conjunctions, and each is in charge of its own shape of relation.
What does it look like in an example sentence Slovenian?
“Medtem ko sem kuhal, je on pospravljal kuhinjo” — While I was cooking, he was tidying the kitchen. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.