TOPIC · Adverbs & particles

Question words in German (Fragewörter)

After this lesson, learners will be able to recognize and use the main question words in German.

Question Words in German

Question words are crucial for forming inquiries that seek to obtain specific information. They help us get particular details in conversations. In this section, we will cover the main question words and explain how to use them in sentences.

The Main Question Words

Here are some of the most common question words in German, their meaning, and how to use them in sentences:

Question Word	Meaning	Example	Translation
Was	What?	Was machst du?	What are you doing?
Wann	When?	Wann beginnt der Kurs?	When does the course start?
Warum	Why?	Warum lernst du Deutsch?	Why are you learning German?
Wie	How?	Wie geht es dir?	How are you?
Wie lange	How long?	Wie lange dauert der Film?	How long does the movie last?
Wie oft	How often?	Wie oft gehst du schwimmen?	How often do you go swimming?
Wie viel	How much?	Wie viel kostet das?	How much does that cost?
Wo	Where?	Wo wohnst du?	Where do you live?
Woher	From where?	Woher kommst du?	Where do you come from?
Wohin	To where?	Wohin fährst du?	Where are you going to?

Using Wo-r + Preposition

Additionally, there are specific question words formed by combining "wo" with a preposition. These are used to ask about specific details that require a preposition:

Question Word	Example	Translation
Worüber	Worüber sprichst du?	What are you talking about?
Womit	Womit arbeitest du?	What do you work with?
Worauf	Worauf wartest du?	What are you waiting for?
Wovon	Wovon träumst du?	What do you dream about?
Woran	Woran denkst du?	What are you thinking about?

Conclusion

Question words are a fundamental basis of communication in German. They assist us in specifically inquiring for information. It is important to become familiar with these words and their use to be more effective in conversations. Practice by forming questions and providing answers to deepen your understanding.