Welcome to this tutorial on German question words! In this lesson, you will learn the most common question words used in German. Being able to ask questions is an essential skill when learning a new language, so mastering these words will allow you to have more meaningful conversations.
The main question words we will cover are:
- Wer (Who)
- Was (What)
- Wo (Where)
- Wann (When)
- Warum (Why)
- Wie (How)
Understanding when to use each word and how to properly construct questions takes practice, so we will look at numerous examples throughout this tutorial. Let's get started!
Who - Wer
The question word wer means "who" in English. It is used when asking about a person. Here are some examples:
- Wer ist das? - Who is that?
- Wer hat das gesagt? - Who said that?
- Mit wem sprichst du? - Who are you talking to?
- Für wen ist das Geschenk? - Who is the gift for?
As you can see, wer can be used at the beginning of a question or later on when asking about the object or recipient. The verb remains in position 2 in the German sentence after the question word.
Now let's look at some example conversations using wer:
A: Wer ist dein liebster Sänger?
B: Mein liebster Sänger ist Ed Sheeran. Und deiner?
A: Who is your favorite singer?
B: My favorite singer is Ed Sheeran. And yours?
A: Ich mag Ariana Grande am liebsten. Ihre Stimme ist unglaublich!
A: I really like Ariana Grande the most. Her voice is amazing!
B: Da hast du recht!
B: You're right about that!
In this exchange, wer was used to ask about each person's favorite musical artist. The answer provided the name of the singer.
Here is another example:
A: Wer kommt heute zur Party?
B: Anna, Thomas und Erik kommen. Und du? Kommst du auch?
A: Who is coming to the party today?
B: Anna, Thomas and Erik are coming. What about you? Are you coming too?
A: Ja klar! Ich freue mich schon. Wird bestimmt lustig.
A: Yes of course! I'm really looking forward to it. It will definitely be fun.
The question wer kommt heute zur Party? uses wer to ask who the guests are at the party. The answer provides the names Anna, Thomas and Erik. This demonstrates how wer is used when you want to know about people.
What - Was
Moving on, the question word was means "what" in English. It is used to ask about objects, events, situations and more. Some examples:
- Was machst du heute Abend? - What are you doing tonight?
- Was bedeutet das? - What does that mean?
- Was ist dein Lieblingsfach in der Schule? - What is your favorite subject in school?
- Was ist los? - What's going on?
- Was würdest du gerne essen? - What would you like to eat?
Let's look at some conversational examples:
A: Was möchtest du zum Geburtstag?
B: Ich würde mich über einen neuen Pullover freuen. Und du, was wünscht du dir zum Geburtstag?
A: What would you like for your birthday?
B: I'd really love a new sweater. And you, what do you want for your birthday?
A: Ein Buch über Kunstgeschichte wäre toll!
A: A book about art history would be great!
B: Gute Wahl, das klingt sehr interessant.
B: Good choice, that sounds very interesting.
Here was was used to ask about desired birthday gifts. The answers mention a specific present.
Another example:
A: Was steht heute auf dem Programm?
B: Zuerst gehen wir ins Museum und danach essen wir in einem Restaurant. Und morgen machen wir eine Stadtrundfahrt!
A: What's on the schedule today?
B: First we're going to the museum and then we'll eat at a restaurant. And tomorrow we're taking a city tour!
The question was steht heute auf dem Programm? uses was to ask about the planned activities. The answer describes the events.
Where - Wo
The question word wo means "where" in English. It is used to ask about locations and places. Some examples:
- Wo wohnst du? - Where do you live?
- Wo finde ich den Supermarkt? - Where can I find the supermarket?
- Wo warst du gestern Abend? - Where were you last night?
- Wo sollen wir uns treffen? - Where should we meet?
Now for some conversational examples:
A: Wo gehst du in den Urlaub?
B: Wir fahren nach Spanien, ans Meer. Und ihr, wo verbringt ihr die Ferien?
A: Where are you going on vacation?
B: We're going to Spain, to the ocean. And you, where are you spending the holidays?
A: Wir bleiben zu Hause. Wir renovieren unser Badezimmer.
A: We're staying home. We're renovating our bathroom.
B: Das klingt nach einer Menge Arbeit! Viel Glück dabei.
B: That sounds like a lot of work! Good luck.
The question wo gehst du in den Urlaub? uses wo to ask about the vacation destination. The answers provide the locations.
Here is another conversation:
A: Wo finde ich den nächsten Geldautomaten?
B: Geh die Straße runter bis zur Kreuzung und dann links abbiegen. Er ist neben der Apotheke.
A: Where can I find the nearest ATM?
B: Walk down the street until the intersection and then turn left. It's next to the pharmacy.
A: Danke für die Wegbeschreibung!
A: Thank you for the directions!
B: Gern geschehen!
B: You're welcome!
The question wo finde ich den nächsten Geldautomaten? uses woto ask about the location of the ATM. The answer provides directions to get there.
When - Wann
Moving on, wann means "when" in English. It is used to ask about time, date, and frequency. Some examples:
- Wann beginnt das Konzert? - When does the concert start?
- Wann isst du zu Abend? - When do you eat dinner?
- Wann hast du Geburtstag? - When is your birthday?
- Wann warst du das letzte Mal in Deutschland? - When were you last in Germany?
Now let's look at some conversational scenarios:
A: Wann kommst du morgen zurück?
B: Meine Bus kommt um 17 Uhr am Bahnhof an. Und wann fliegst du nach Hause?
A: When are you coming back tomorrow?
B: My bus arrives at the station at 5pm. And when is your flight home?
A: Mein Flug geht am Sonntag um 13 Uhr.
A: My flight leaves at 1pm on Sunday.
B: Dann sehen wir uns ja noch ein letztes Mal vor deiner Abreise.
B: Then we'll see each other one last time before your departure.
Here wann was used to ask about arrival and departure times. The answers specify the date and time.
Let's look at another example:
A: Wann treffen wir uns heute Abend?
B: Wie wäre es um 19 Uhr vor dem Kino?
A: When shall we meet tonight?
B: How about 7pm in front of the movie theater?
A: Perfekt, dann sehen wir uns später!
A: Perfect, see you later then!
The question wann treffen wir uns heute Abend? uses wann to ask about the meeting time. The answer suggests a specific time.
Why - Warum
Next up is warum, which means "why" in English. It is used to ask about reasons, motives, and causes. Some examples:
- Warum bist du traurig? - Why are you sad?
- Warum magst du Mathe nicht? - Why don't you like math?
- Warum ziehst du nach Berlin? - Why are you moving to Berlin?
- Warum ist er nicht zur Arbeit gekommen? - Why didn't he come to work?
Now let's create some sample dialogues:
A: Warum bist du so fröhlich heute?
B: Ich habe eine tolle Note in meinem Deutschtest bekommen! Und warum lächelst du?
A: Why are you so happy today?
B: I got a great grade on my German test! And why are you smiling?
A: Mein bester Freund kommt heute aus dem Urlaub zurück. Ich freue mich schon, ihn zu sehen.
A: My best friend is coming back from vacation today. I'm excited to see him.
B: Das ist ja schön! Dann wird es ein rundum schöner Tag.
B: How nice! Then it will be a great day all around.
Here warum was used to ask about the reasons for being happy. The answers explain the causes.
Let's look at another example:
A: Warum bist du vegetarisch?
B: Für mich ist es eine ethische Entscheidung. Ich möchte keine Tiere essen. Und du, warum isst du kein Fleisch?
A: Why are you vegetarian?
B: For me it's an ethical decision. I don't want to eat animals. And you, why don't you eat meat?
A: Ich achte auf meine Gesundheit und fühle mich mit pflanzlicher Ernährung fitter.
A: I'm watching my health and I feel fitter with a plant-based diet.
B: Das leuchtet ein, gute Gründe!
B: That makes sense, good reasons!
Here warum was used to ask about the motives behind being vegetarian. The answers explain the rationales.
How - Wie
The last question word we'll cover is wie, which means "how" in English. It is used to ask about manners, states, actions and more. Some examples:
- Wie geht es dir? - How are you? (literally: How goes it with you?)
- Wie alt bist du? - How old are you?
- Wie kommst du zur Arbeit? - How do you get to work?
- Wie findest du den Film? - How do you like the movie?
- Wie spät ist es? - What time is it? (literally: How late is it?)
Now let's look at some conversational scenarios:
A: Wie war dein Urlaub?
B: Es war wunderbar! Wir haben viel gesehen und nette Leute kennengelernt. Und wie lief das Geschäftstreffen?
A: How was your vacation?
B: It was wonderful! We saw a lot and met nice people. And how did the business meeting go?
A: Gut, wir haben einen neuen Kunden gewonnen. Ich bin sehr zufrieden.
A: Good, we got a new client. I'm very satisfied.
B: Toll! Dann war es ein erfolgreicher Tag für uns beide.
B: Great! Then it was a successful day for both of us.
Here wie was used to ask about each person's experiences. The answers describe how things went.
Let's look at one more example:
A: Wie bereitest du dich auf Prüfungen vor?
B: Ich lese den Stoff mehrmals durch und mache Zusammenfassungen. Das hilft mir beim Lernen. Und du, wie lernst du am besten?
A: How do you prepare for exams?
B: I read through the material multiple times and make summaries. That helps me study. And you, how do you study best?
A: Ich erstelle Lernkarten mit Fragen und Antworten. Das Prüfen hilft mir, alles zu behalten.
A: I make flashcards with questions and answers. Testing myself helps me remember everything.
B: Jeder hat seine eigenen Methoden, hauptsache es funktioniert!
B: Everyone has their own methods, as long as it works!
Here wie was used to ask about study techniques. The answers describe the preferred approaches.
Putting It All Together
Now that we've looked at examples for each major question word in German, let's practice putting them into action. See if you can determine which word fits best in the following questions:
- ________ heißt du?
- ________ alt bist du?
- ________ kommst du her?
- ________ lernst du Deutsch?
- ________ gefällt dir das Wetter heute?
- ________ ist der beste Weg zum Bahnhof?
- ________ beginnt der Unterricht morgen?
- ________ möchtest du zum Mittagessen bestellen?
- ________ hast du dich für diese Uni entschieden?
- ________ läuft das Projekt?
Answers:
- Wie (How)
- Wie (How)
- Wo (Where)
- Warum (Why)
- Wie (How)
- Was (What)
- Wann (When)
- Was (What)
- Warum (Why)
- Wie (How)
Great job! Being able to formulate questions using the correct German question words is an important milestone. With more practice, these words will become second nature.
Conclusion
In this comprehensive tutorial, we've gone over the major German question words including wer, was, wo, wann, warum and wie. You've seen many example sentences and dialogues demonstrating how these are used in everyday conversations. Being able to ask and understand questions will unlock your ability to have meaningful interactions in German.
I hope you found this guide helpful on your language learning journey! Don't forget to practice regularly and immerse yourself in German - through music, books, films and talking with native speakers. This will allow you to apply and consolidate what you've learned about these essential question words. Viel Erfolg (Good luck)!
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