þonne

== Old English == === Alternative forms === þanne, þænne, ðonne þon̄ (scribal abbreviation) === Etymology === From Proto-West Germanic *þannē, extension of *þan, from Proto-Germanic *þan (“then”), from Proto-Indo-European *só. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈθon.ne/ === Adverb === þonne then, at that time then, soon afterward then, in that case late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Saint Augustine's Soliloquies ==== Usage notes ==== In the sense of "at that time", þonne is generally not used for past-tense statements, except with verbs in the subjunctive mood; þā is used instead. When used as an adverb, þonne is frequently used as the first element of the clause, with the finite verb immediately following it as the second, although exceptions exist. === Conjunction === þonne than (relative) when ==== Usage notes ==== Does not mean "when" in the interrogative sense. For questions, hwonne is used instead. In the sense of "when", þonne is generally not used for past-tense statements (except with verbs in the subjunctive); þā is used instead. When used as a conjunction, the verb in the following clause typically does not occur immediately after þonne (often being found at the end of the clause), unlike when it is used as an adverb. ==== Descendants ==== Middle English: then(ne), than(ne) English: then, than Scots: than, then, an ⇒ Scots: thance