🎯 Today's Learning Goals / Lernziele
- Learn all essential W-question words: wer, was, wo, woher, wohin, wie, wann, warum, wie viel, wie lange, welch-
- Master the W-question sentence pattern: W-word + Verb + Subject + rest
- Distinguish between wo (where/location), woher (where from), and wohin (where to)
- Use 'wie' in combination words: wie alt, wie viel, wie lange, wie oft, wie weit
- Build natural question-answer pairs for everyday conversations
- Apply 'welch-' (which) with correct gender endings: welcher/welche/welches
📚 Grammar & Rules / Grammatik
1. W-Question Word Order: W-Word + Verb + Subject
In W-questions (Fragewörter), the W-word takes Position 1, the verb stays in Position 2, and the subject moves to Position 3.
W-questions follow the same Position-2 verb rule you learned in Day 13. The W-word (wer, was, wo, wie, wann, warum, etc.) occupies Position 1, pushing the subject after the verb. This is different from yes/no questions where the verb is in Position 1. Compare: 'Lernst du Deutsch?' (yes/no, verb first) vs. 'Was lernst du?' (W-question, W-word first).
| PRONOUN | FORM | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| Position 1 (W-Word) | Position 2 (Verb) | Position 3+ (Subject + Rest) |
| Was | machst | du heute? |
| Wo | wohnst | du? |
| Wann | fährt | der Zug? |
| Wie | heißen | Sie? |
| Warum | lernst | du Deutsch? |
Was machst du?
— What are you doing?
💡 W-word (Was) + Verb (machst) + Subject (du)
Wo wohnen Sie?
— Where do you live?
💡 W-word (Wo) + Verb (wohnen) + Subject (Sie)
Wann kommst du?
— When are you coming?
💡 W-word (Wann) + Verb (kommst) + Subject (du)
⚠️ Common Mistake: Do NOT add 'do' like in English! 'Was machst du?' literally translates to 'What make you?' — there is no equivalent of 'What DO you DO?' in German.
💡 Study Tip: Formula: W + V + S. Just three positions to remember: Question word, Verb, Subject.
2. The Core W-Words: Wer, Was, Wo, Wann, Warum, Wie
German has 6 basic W-question words that you need for everyday communication.
Each W-word asks about a specific type of information. 'Wer' (who) asks about people, 'was' (what) asks about things or actions, 'wo' (where) asks about location, 'wann' (when) asks about time, 'warum' (why) asks about reasons, and 'wie' (how) asks about manner or quality.
| PRONOUN | FORM | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| wer? | who? | Wer ist das? — Das ist mein Bruder. |
| was? | what? | Was machst du? — Ich lese ein Buch. |
| wo? | where? (location) | Wo wohnst du? — Ich wohne in Berlin. |
| wann? | when? | Wann kommst du? — Um drei Uhr. |
| warum? | why? | Warum lernst du Deutsch? — Weil ich in Deutschland arbeite. |
| wie? | how? | Wie geht es dir? — Mir geht es gut. |
Wer kommt zur Party?
— Who is coming to the party?
💡 'wer' is always nominative (subject)
Was isst du zum Frühstück?
— What do you eat for breakfast?
💡 'was' for things and activities
Wo ist die Apotheke?
— Where is the pharmacy?
💡 'wo' for fixed locations
Wann fängt der Film an?
— When does the film start?
💡 'wann' for time
Warum bist du müde?
— Why are you tired?
💡 'warum' for reasons
⚠️ Common Mistake: Do not confuse 'wer' (who) with 'wo' (where)! They look similar but ask completely different questions.
💡 Study Tip: The German W-words map neatly to English: Wer=Who, Was=What, Wo=Where, Wann=When, Warum=Why, Wie=How.
3. The Wo-Trio: Wo, Woher, Wohin (Where, Where From, Where To)
German distinguishes three types of 'where': wo (location/at), woher (origin/from), and wohin (destination/to).
English uses 'where' for all three, but German is more precise. 'Wo' asks about a fixed location (Where is something?). 'Woher' asks about origin (Where does something come from?). 'Wohin' asks about destination (Where is something going to?). This distinction is very important and tested frequently at A1 level.
| PRONOUN | FORM | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| wo? | where? (location) | Wo wohnst du? — In Berlin. |
| woher? | where from? (origin) | Woher kommst du? — Aus Indien. |
| wohin? | where to? (destination) | Wohin fährst du? — Nach Hamburg. |
Wo arbeitest du?
— Where do you work?
💡 wo = location (in + city/country)
Woher kommen Sie?
— Where do you come from?
💡 woher = origin (aus + country/city)
Wohin gehst du?
— Where are you going (to)?
💡 wohin = destination (nach + city/country, in + Akk.)
Wo ist der Bahnhof?
— Where is the train station?
💡 wo for asking about a fixed position
⚠️ Common Mistake: 'Woher kommst du?' is answered with 'Aus + country/city': 'Aus Deutschland', 'Aus Berlin'. 'Wohin fährst du?' is answered with 'Nach + city/country': 'Nach München', 'Nach Spanien'.
💡 Study Tip: Think of it as the location triangle: WO = you are standing still, WOHER = you came from somewhere, WOHIN = you are going somewhere.
4. Wie-Combinations: wie alt, wie viel, wie lange, wie oft, wie weit
'Wie' (how) combines with other words to form specific question phrases.
'Wie' is the most versatile W-word because it combines with adjectives and adverbs to create precise questions. 'Wie alt' (how old), 'wie viel' (how much/many), 'wie lange' (how long, duration), 'wie oft' (how often), 'wie weit' (how far), 'wie spät' (how late = what time). The entire 'wie + X' phrase counts as ONE unit in Position 1.
| PRONOUN | FORM | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| wie alt? | how old? | Wie alt bist du? — Ich bin 25 Jahre alt. |
| wie viel? | how much? | Wie viel kostet das? — Das kostet 5 Euro. |
| wie viele? | how many? | Wie viele Kinder hast du? — Ich habe zwei Kinder. |
| wie lange? | how long? | Wie lange dauert der Kurs? — Zwei Stunden. |
| wie oft? | how often? | Wie oft gehst du schwimmen? — Zweimal pro Woche. |
| wie weit? | how far? | Wie weit ist es bis zum Bahnhof? — Etwa 500 Meter. |
| wie spät? | what time? | Wie spät ist es? — Es ist halb drei. |
Wie alt ist dein Bruder?
— How old is your brother?
💡 wie alt for age
Wie viel kostet ein Kaffee?
— How much does a coffee cost?
💡 wie viel for price/amount
Wie lange lernst du schon Deutsch?
— How long have you been learning German?
💡 wie lange for duration
Wie oft fährst du nach Hause?
— How often do you go home?
💡 wie oft for frequency
⚠️ Common Mistake: 'Wie viel' (how much, singular/uncountable) vs. 'wie viele' (how many, plural/countable): 'Wie viel Wasser?' but 'Wie viele Äpfel?'
💡 Study Tip: Learn 'wie + X' as fixed phrases — they always stay together as one unit in Position 1.
5. Welch-? (Which?): The Question Word with Gender Endings
'Welch-' (which) changes its ending based on the gender and case of the noun it refers to: welcher (der), welche (die), welches (das).
Unlike other W-words, 'welch-' takes endings that match the gender of the noun. In the nominative case: 'welcher' for masculine nouns (der), 'welche' for feminine nouns (die), 'welches' for neuter nouns (das), and 'welche' for plural nouns (die). This is similar to how 'dieser' (this) works. 'Welch-' is used when choosing between specific options.
| PRONOUN | FORM | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine (der) | welcher | Welcher Zug fährt nach Berlin? — Der ICE 570. |
| Feminine (die) | welche | Welche Sprache lernst du? — Deutsch. |
| Neuter (das) | welches | Welches Buch liest du? — Das Buch von Kafka. |
| Plural (die) | welche | Welche Bücher empfiehlst du? — Diese hier. |
Welcher Tag ist heute?
— Which/What day is today?
💡 der Tag → welcher
Welche Farbe magst du?
— Which color do you like?
💡 die Farbe → welche
Welches Restaurant empfiehlst du?
— Which restaurant do you recommend?
💡 das Restaurant → welches
⚠️ Common Mistake: Do not use 'was für ein' and 'welch-' interchangeably! 'Was für ein Auto hast du?' asks about the TYPE of car. 'Welches Auto nimmst du?' asks about a SPECIFIC car (which one of these?).
💡 Study Tip: The endings of 'welch-' match the definite article: der → welcher, die → welche, das → welches. If you know the article, you know the ending!
📖 Study Offline with the Official German A1 Ebook (PDF)
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📖 Core Vocabulary / Wortschatz (42 Words)
Click 🔊 to hear correct German pronunciation. Nouns are marked with articles: der (masculine) die (feminine) das (neuter).
| Audio | German | English | Type | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wer? | who? | Question word |
Wer ist das? (Who is that?)
|
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| was? | what? | Question word |
Was machst du? (What are you doing?)
|
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| wo? | where? (location) | Question word |
Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?)
|
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| woher? | where from? | Question word |
Woher kommst du? (Where do you come from?)
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| wohin? | where to? | Question word |
Wohin fährst du? (Where are you going?)
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| wie? | how? | Question word |
Wie heißen Sie? (What is your name?)
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| wann? | when? | Question word |
Wann kommst du? (When are you coming?)
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| warum? | why? | Question word |
Warum lernst du Deutsch? (Why are you learning German?)
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| wie viel? | how much? | Question phrase |
Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?)
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| wie viele? | how many? | Question phrase |
Wie viele Kinder hast du? (How many children do you have?)
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| wie alt? | how old? | Question phrase |
Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?)
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| wie lange? | how long? | Question phrase |
Wie lange dauert das? (How long does that take?)
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| wie oft? | how often? | Question phrase |
Wie oft gehst du schwimmen? (How often do you go swimming?)
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| wie weit? | how far? | Question phrase |
Wie weit ist es? (How far is it?)
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| wie spät? | what time? (how late?) | Question phrase |
Wie spät ist es? (What time is it?)
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| welcher / welche / welches? | which? | Question word (decl.) |
Welcher Tag ist heute? (Which day is today?)
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| dieFrage | the question | Noun (die, -n) |
Ich habe eine Frage. (I have a question.)
|
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| dieAntwort | the answer | Noun (die, -en) |
Die Antwort ist richtig. (The answer is correct.)
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| fragen | to ask | Verb |
Darf ich Sie etwas fragen? (May I ask you something?)
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| antworten | to answer | Verb |
Bitte antworten Sie. (Please answer.)
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| kosten | to cost | Verb |
Was kostet das Brot? (What does the bread cost?)
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| dauern | to last / to take (time) | Verb |
Der Film dauert zwei Stunden. (The film lasts two hours.)
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| bedeuten | to mean | Verb |
Was bedeutet dieses Wort? (What does this word mean?)
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| buchstabieren | to spell | Verb |
Wie buchstabiert man das? (How do you spell that?)
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| dieAdresse | the address | Noun (die, -n) |
Wie ist Ihre Adresse? (What is your address?)
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| dieTelefonnummer | the phone number | Noun (die, -n) |
Wie ist Ihre Telefonnummer? (What is your phone number?)
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| derGeburtstag | the birthday | Noun (der, -e) |
Wann ist dein Geburtstag? (When is your birthday?)
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| dasAlter | the age | Noun (das, -) |
Wie alt sind Sie? (How old are you?)
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| derBeruf | the profession | Noun (der, -e) |
Was ist Ihr Beruf? (What is your profession?)
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| dasLand | the country | Noun (das, Länder) |
Aus welchem Land kommen Sie? (Which country do you come from?)
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| dieStadt | the city | Noun (die, Städte) |
In welcher Stadt wohnst du? (In which city do you live?)
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| dieSprache | the language | Noun (die, -n) |
Welche Sprachen sprichst du? (Which languages do you speak?)
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| dieFarbe | the color | Noun (die, -n) |
Welche Farbe magst du? (Which color do you like?)
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| dieApotheke | the pharmacy | Noun (die, -n) |
Wo ist die Apotheke? (Where is the pharmacy?)
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| derBahnhof | the train station | Noun (der, Bahnhöfe) |
Wo ist der Bahnhof? (Where is the train station?)
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| dasKrankenhaus | the hospital | Noun (das, Krankenhäuser) |
Wo ist das Krankenhaus? (Where is the hospital?)
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| derSupermarkt | the supermarket | Noun (der, Supermärkte) |
Wo ist der nächste Supermarkt? (Where is the nearest supermarket?)
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| etwa / ungefähr | approximately / about | Adverb |
Es dauert etwa 30 Minuten. (It takes about 30 minutes.)
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| genau | exactly / precisely | Adverb |
Es ist genau drei Uhr. (It is exactly three o'clock.)
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| pro | per | Preposition |
Zweimal pro Woche. (Twice per week.)
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| zweimal | twice | Adverb |
Ich gehe zweimal pro Woche schwimmen. (I go swimming twice per week.)
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| nächste(r/s) | next / nearest | Adjective |
Wo ist der nächste Supermarkt? (Where is the nearest supermarket?)
|
💬 Key Conversational Phrases / Redemittel
Wie heißen Sie? / Wie heißt du?
What is your name? · Asking someone's name (formal / informal).
Woher kommen Sie? — Ich komme aus ...
Where do you come from? — I come from ... · Asking and answering about origin.
Wo wohnen Sie? — Ich wohne in ...
Where do you live? — I live in ... · Asking and answering about residence.
Was sind Sie von Beruf? — Ich bin ...
What is your profession? — I am a ... · Asking and answering about profession.
Wie alt sind Sie? — Ich bin ... Jahre alt.
How old are you? — I am ... years old. · Asking and answering about age.
Wie viel kostet das? — Das kostet ... Euro.
How much does that cost? — That costs ... euros. · Asking and answering about price.
Entschuldigung, wo ist ...?
Excuse me, where is ...? · Asking for directions politely.
Wie buchstabiert man das?
How do you spell that? · Asking someone to spell a word.
🗣️ Practical Dialogue / Dialog
Situation: Im Sprachkurs: Kennenlernen (In the Language Course: Getting to Know Each Other)
Lehrerin:
Guten Morgen! Willkommen im Deutschkurs. Wie heißen Sie?
Good morning! Welcome to the German course. What is your name?
Student 1:
Ich heiße Priya Sharma.
My name is Priya Sharma.
Lehrerin:
Freut mich, Priya! Woher kommen Sie?
Nice to meet you, Priya! Where do you come from?
Student 1:
Ich komme aus Indien, aus Mumbai.
I come from India, from Mumbai.
Lehrerin:
Wie lange wohnen Sie schon in Deutschland?
How long have you been living in Germany?
Student 1:
Seit drei Monaten. Ich wohne jetzt in Frankfurt.
For three months. I live in Frankfurt now.
Lehrerin:
Und warum lernen Sie Deutsch?
And why are you learning German?
Student 1:
Ich arbeite bei einer deutschen Firma. Ich brauche Deutsch für die Arbeit.
I work at a German company. I need German for work.
Lehrerin:
Sehr gut! Welche Sprachen sprechen Sie?
Very good! Which languages do you speak?
Student 1:
Ich spreche Hindi, Englisch und ein bisschen Deutsch.
I speak Hindi, English, and a little bit of German.
Lehrerin:
Wunderbar! Wie oft haben wir den Kurs?
Wonderful! How often do we have the course?
Student 1:
Dreimal pro Woche — montags, mittwochs und freitags.
Three times per week — Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.