Guide to Question Words in German (de)

In German, question words (Fragepronomen) are used to form questions. Familiarizing yourself with question words is essential for effective communication. Here, we will focus on the most common question words in the German language.

1. Wer (Who)

Use "wer" to inquire about a person or people.

Examples:

• Wer ist dein bester Freund? (Who is your best friend?)
• Wer waren die Gäste auf der Party? (Who were the guests at the party?)

2. Was (What)

"Was" is primarily used to inquire about things, actions, or ideas.

Examples:

• Was machst du am Wochenende? (What are you doing on the weekend?)
• Was ist das? (What is that?)

3. Wo (Where)

Use "wo" to ask about a location or place.

Examples:

• Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?)
• Wo ist der Bahnhof? (Where is the train station?)

4. Wie (How)

"Wie" is used to ask about the manner or way something is done.

Examples:

• Wie geht es dir? (How are you?)
• Wie kommst du zur Arbeit? (How do you get to work?)

5. Warum (Why)

Use "warum" to inquire about the reason behind something.

Examples:

• Warum hast du das gemacht? (Why did you do that?)
• Warum bist du traurig? (Why are you sad?)

Using Question Words in Sentences

Question words are typically placed at the beginning of a sentence, followed by the subject and the verb. In German, the word order in questions is slightly different from declarative sentences.

Example:

• Declarative sentence: Du hast das Buch gelesen. (You have read the book.)
• Question using question word: Was hast du gelesen? (What have you read?)

Remember that when forming a question, the verb needs to be in the second position in the sentence. The subject and other elements follow afterward.

Example:

• Wer hat den Brief geschrieben? (Who wrote the letter?)
• Warum hast du nicht angerufen? (Why didn't you call?)

Summary

Question words are essential tools for asking questions in German. By familiarizing yourself with the question words "wer," "was," "wo," "wie," and "warum," you can confidently form questions and engage in conversations.

Remember the basic word order in questions: question word + subject + verb + rest of the sentence.

Keep practicing and incorporating question words into your daily conversations to improve your German language skills.