Category: German Grammar for Beginners
If you want to ask questions in German, you need to learn German question words.
These words are often called W-Fragen because most of them begin with W:
- wer
- was
- wann
- wo
- warum
- wie
You hear them in every conversation, every lesson, and every real-life situation.
Before you continue, choose your language here: https://levitintymur.com/#languages
The Most Important German Question Words
| German | English |
|---|---|
| wer | who |
| was | what |
| wann | when |
| wo | where |
| wohin | where to |
| woher | where from |
| warum | why |
| wie | how |
| welcher / welche / welches | which |
| wie viel | how much / how many |
Wer = Who
Use wer when you ask about a person.
Examples:
- Wer bist du?
- Wer kommt heute?
- Wer ist dein Lehrer?
Was = What
Use was when you ask about a thing, an idea, or an action.
Examples:
- Was machst du?
- Was ist das?
- Was möchtest du lernen?
Wann = When
Use wann for time.
Examples:
- Wann beginnt der Kurs?
- Wann kommst du nach Hause?
- Wann hast du Deutschunterricht?
Wo, Wohin, Woher
German has three different question words for place.
| Word | Meaning |
| wo | where |
| wohin | where to |
| woher | where from |
Examples:
- Wo wohnst du?
- Wohin gehst du?
- Woher kommst du?
This is important because German clearly separates location, direction, and origin.
Warum = Why
Use warum to ask for a reason.
Examples:
- Warum lernst du Deutsch?
- Warum bist du müde?
- Warum kommst du nicht?
Typical answer:
- Weil ich in Deutschland arbeiten möchte.
Wie = How
Use wie to ask about the way something happens.
Examples:
- Wie heißt du?
- Wie geht es dir?
- Wie lernst du Deutsch?
You can also combine wie with other words:
| Expression | Meaning |
| wie alt | how old |
| wie lange | how long |
| wie oft | how often |
| wie spät | what time |
| wie viele | how many |
Examples:
- Wie alt bist du?
- Wie lange lernst du schon Deutsch?
- Wie oft übst du?
Welcher / Welche / Welches = Which
Use these words when you choose between different things.
Examples:
- Welches Buch liest du?
- Welche Sprache lernst du?
- Welcher Lehrer hilft dir?
German Word Order in Questions
When a German sentence starts with a question word, the verb usually comes next.
Pattern:
Question word + verb + subject
Examples:
- Wo wohnst du?
- Wann beginnt der Unterricht?
- Warum lernst du Deutsch?
Incorrect:
- Wo du wohnst?
- Warum du lernst Deutsch?
Correct:
- Wo wohnst du?
- Warum lernst du Deutsch?
Common Mistakes
Incorrect:
- Woher du kommst?
- Wie du heißt?
- Wann du gehst?
Correct:
- Woher kommst du?
- Wie heißt du?
- Wann gehst du?
Mini Dialogue
- Wie heißt du?
- Ich heiße Anna.
- Woher kommst du?
- Ich komme aus Polen.
- Warum lernst du Deutsch?
- Weil ich in Deutschland studieren möchte.
Practice
Translate these questions into German:
- Where do you live?
- When does the lesson start?
- Why are you learning German?
- Which book do you want?
- How old are you?
Answers:
- Wo wohnst du?
- Wann beginnt der Unterricht?
- Warum lernst du Deutsch?
- Welches Buch möchtest du?
- Wie alt bist du?
Why German Question Words Matter
If you know these question words, you can start real conversations immediately.
You can ask about people, places, time, reasons, and everyday situations.
This is one of the fastest ways to become more confident in German.
You may also find these guides useful:
- German Separable Verbs Explained:
- German Prepositions with Cases:
- Top 50 German Verbs Every Beginner Must Know:
- German Word Order Explained:
If you would like help learning German step by step, you can contact Tymur Levitin directly in Telegram:
@START_SCHOOL_TYMUR_LEVITIN
You can also learn German here:
Author: Tymur Levitin — Founder & Director, Levitin Language School / Language Learnings
© Tymur Levitin