Original Word: ὅταν
Part of Speech: Conjunction
Transliteration: hotan
Pronunciation: HO-tan
Phonetic Spelling: (hot'-an)
Definition: whenever, when
Meaning: when, whenever.

Word Origin: A combination of ὅς (hos, "who, which") and ἄν (an, a particle indicating contingency)

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "ὅταν," similar conditional or temporal expressions can be found in Hebrew, such as "כַּאֲשֶׁר" (ka'asher, "when") and "אִם" (im, "if").

Usage: The Greek conjunction "ὅταν" (hotan) is used to introduce conditional or temporal clauses, often translated as "whenever" or "when" in English. It indicates an action or event that is contingent upon another action or event. This word is frequently used in the New Testament to express conditions or situations that are expected to occur repeatedly or in the future.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the context of the New Testament, "ὅταν" is used to convey teachings, parables, and prophecies that often have a future or conditional aspect. The use of this conjunction reflects the Jewish and Greco-Roman understanding of time and events, where certain actions are anticipated based on divine promises or human behavior. The New Testament authors, writing in Koine Greek, employed "ὅταν" to communicate Jesus' teachings and the apostles' instructions regarding the Kingdom of God and the Christian life.

3752 hótan (from 3753 /hóte, "when" and 302 /án, "whenever a specified condition is fulfilled") – properly, "at the time when the condition is met," i.e. whenever that occurs, "at the time (it happens)" (J. Thayer).

Word Origin
from hote and an
Definition
whenever
NASB Translation
after (2), soon* (1), until* (1), when (107), whenever (9), while (2).

STRONGS NT 3752: ὅταν

ὅταν, a particle of time, compound of ὅτε and ἄν, at the time that, whenever (German dannwann;wannirgend); used of things which one assumes will really occur, but the time of whose occurrence he does not definitely fix (in secular authors often also of things which one assumes can occur, but whether they really will or not he does not know; hence, like our in case that, as in Plato, Prot., p. 360 b.; Phaedr., p. 256 e.; Phaedo, p. 68 d.); (cf. Winers Grammar, § 42, 5; Buttmann, § 139, 33);

a. with the subjunctive present: Matthew 6:2, 5; Matthew 10:23; Mark 13:11 (here Rec. aorist); ; Luke 11:36; Luke 12:11; Luke 14:12; Luke 21:7; John 7:27; John 16:21; Acts 23:35; 1 Corinthians 3:4; 2 Corinthians 13:9; 1 John 5:2; Revelation 10:7; Revelation 18:9; preceded by a specification of time: ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης, ὅταν etc., Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; followed by τότε, 1 Thessalonians 5:3; 1 Corinthians 15:28; equivalent to as often as, of customary action, Matthew 15:2; John 8:44; Romans 2:14; at the time when equivalent to as long as, Luke 11:34; John 9:5.

b. with the subjunctive aorist: equivalent to the Latinquandoacciderit,ut with subjunctive present, Matthew 5:11; Matthew 12:43; Matthew 13:32; Matthew 23:15; Matthew 24:32; Mark 4:15f, 29 (R G), 31f; 13:28; Luke 6:22, 26; Luke 8:13; Luke 11:24; Luke 12:54; Luke 21:30; John 2:10; John 10:4; John 16:21; 1 Timothy 5:11 (here L marginal reading future); Revelation 9:5. equivalent toquando with future perfect, Matthew 19:28; Matthew 21:40; Mark 8:38; Mark 9:9; Mark 12:23 (G Tr WH omit; L brackets the clause), 25; Luke 9:26; Luke 16:4, 9; Luke 17:10; John 4:25; John 7:31; John 13:19; John 14:29; John 15:26; John 16:4, 13, 21; John 21:18; Acts 23:35; Acts 24:22; Romans 11:27; 1 Corinthians 15:24 (here L T Tr WH present), (where the meaning is, 'when he shall have said that the ὑποταξις predicted in the Psalm is now accomplished'; cf. Meyer ad loc.); ; 2 Corinthians 10:6; Colossians 4:16; 1 John 2:28 (L T Tr WH ἐάν); 2 Thessalonians 1:10; Hebrews 1:6 (on which see εἰσάγω, 1); Revelation 11:7; Revelation 12:4; Revelation 17:10; Revelation 20:7. followed by τότε, Matthew 9:15; Matthew 24:15; Matthew 25:31; Mark 2:20; Mark 13:14; Luke 5:35; Luke 21:20; John 8:28; 1 Corinthians 13:10 (G L T Tr WH omit τότε); ; Colossians 3:4.

c. According to the usage of later authors, a usage, however, not altogether unknown to the more elegant writers (Winers Grammar, 309 (289f); Buttmann, 222f (192f); (Tdf. Proleg., p. 124f; WHs Appendix, p. 171; for examples additional to these given by Winers Grammar, and Buttmann, as above see Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word; cf. Jebb in Vincent and Dickson's Handbook to Modern Greek, Appendix, § 78)), with the indicative; α. future: when (Matthew 5:11 Tdf.); Luke 13:28 T Tr text WH marginal reading; (1 Timothy 5:11 L marginal reading); as often as, Revelation 4:9 (cf. Bleek ad loc.). β. present: Mark 11:25 L T Tr WH; Mark 13:7 Tr text; (Luke 11:2 Tr marginal reading). γ. very rarely indeed, with the imperfect: as often as, (whensoever), ὅταν ἐθεώρουν, Mark 3:11 (Genesis 38:9; Exodus 17:11; 1 Samuel 17:34; see ἄν, II. 1). δ. As in Byzantine authors equivalent to ὅτε, when, with the indicative aorist: ὅταν ἤνοιξεν, Revelation 8:1 L T Tr WH; (add ὅταν ὀψέ ἐγένετο, Mark 11:19 T Tr text WH, cf. Buttmann, 223 (193); but others take this of customary action, whenever evening came (i. e. every evening, R. V.)). ὅταν, does not occur in the Epistles of Peter and Jude.

as long as, whenever

From hote and an; whenever (implying hypothesis or more or less uncertainty); also causatively (conjunctionally) inasmuch as -- as long (soon) as, that, + till, when(-soever), while.

see GREEK hote

see GREEK an

οταν όταν ὅταν hotan hótan otanInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts