German Phrase
Wann fängt der Winter an?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the point in time when the season of winter begins. It can be answered with a month, a date, or a description of the weather change.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know the official or practical start of winter – for travel planning, school schedules, or simply small‑talk about the weather.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WannfängtderWinteran?
Wann (question word)
‘Wann’ asks for a point in time and is placed at the beginning of a yes‑no or wh‑question.
fängt (3rd person singular, present)
‘fängt’ is the present tense of the separable verb ‘anfangen’; the stem ‘fängt’ appears before the prefix ‘an’.
der Winter (definite article + noun)
‘Winter’ is a masculine noun; the definite article ‘der’ is used in the nominative case because it is the subject.
an (separable prefix)
In a main clause the prefix ‘an’ moves to the end of the sentence, forming the separable verb ‘anfangen’ (to start).
🗨In Conversation
Wann fängt der Winter an?
When does winter start?
Meteorologisch beginnt er am 1. Dezember, aber astronomisch erst um den 21. Dezember.
Meteorologically it starts on December 1st, but astronomically around December 21st.
✕Common Mistakes
Wann beginnt der Winter an?
‘Fängt’ is correct only with the separable verb ‘anfangen’; many learners mistakenly use ‘beginnt’ which changes the verb.
Wann fängt Winter an?
The noun is the subject, so the definite article must stay in the nominative case; dropping it is informal and can sound odd in a question.
Wann an fängt der Winter?
The prefix ‘an’ must be placed at the end of the clause; putting it before the verb is a common error with separable verbs.
↔Alternatives
Ab wann beginnt der Winter?
From when does winter begin?
Wann beginnt der Winter?
When does winter begin?
Zu welchem Zeitpunkt fängt der Winter an?
At what point does winter start?
Cultural Tip
In Germany the meteorological winter starts on 1 December, which is the date most people refer to for school holidays and weather forecasts. Astronomical winter, based on the solstice, begins around 21 December. In the Alpine regions people often consider the first snowfall as the real start of winter.