German Conversation · Level 11
90 words
German word
bis
Pronunciation
IPA/bɪs/
Meaning
- conjunctionuntil
Example
Ich bleibe hier, bis du zurückkommst.
I'll stay here until you come back.
More examples
Er erklärt es, bis du es verstehst.
He explains it until you understand it.
Core concept
A path continues until it meets a boundary, whether the boundary is a date, place, quantity, or following event.
Common phrases
bis du es verstehst
until you understand it
bis die Arbeit erledigt ist
until the work is finished
Similar words
bevor: Marks the time before a particular event takes place.
sobald: Marks the moment immediately after an event occurs.
solange: Marks the period during which an action or state continues.
Definition in German
Einen Endpunkt in der Zeit oder eine Grenze angibt und Nebensätze einleitet
Word origin
The modern form bis developed from Middle High German biz and Old High German bizz, an old Germanic endpoint marker.
Usage tips
- Before a simple time expression, bis stands alone in phrases such as "bis Freitag", without a preposition or article.