How do you say "Only if..." in German?

"Only if..." in German is "Aber nur, wenn...". This phrase is commonly used in Germany.

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How to Say ‘Only if...’ in German

Q: What does "Aber nur, wenn..." mean in English?

"Aber nur, wenn..." means "Only if..." in English. Usage tip: [wenn] often sets up a clause that sends the verb to the end, so you expect more after it: [Aber nur, wenn du Zeit hast]. That's why this feels deliberately unfinished here.

Aber nur, wenn...

AH-ber noor venn

[AH-ber noor venn]

💬 Usage Tip: [wenn] often sets up a clause that sends the verb to the end, so you expect more after it: [Aber nur, wenn du Zeit hast]. That's why this feels deliberately unfinished here.

Phrase Breakdown

Aber

[AH-ber]

but

A common conjunction used to add a playful condition or limitation, like 'but only if...' in flirting.

Example

Aber wenn du so grinst, wird „Aber“ schnell zu einem Ja.

But if you grin like that, 'but' quickly turns into a yes.

nur

[noor]

only

Used to narrow a condition. In flirting, it makes a line sound teasing and selective.

Example

Ich sage nur ja, wenn dein „nur“ nicht schon der Anfang eines frechen Kompliments ist.

I’ll only say yes if your 'only' isn’t already the start of a cheeky compliment.

wenn

[venn]

Introduces a condition. Very useful in playful teasing: 'if you can make me laugh...'

Example

Wenn dein „wenn“ jetzt auf einen charmanten Spruch hinausläuft, höre ich zu.

If your 'if' is now leading to a charming line, I’m listening.

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