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Lesson 10A1
Question Words
Question Words
German question words map neatly onto their English counterparts, and — just like English — they jump to the very front of the sentence, ahead of the verb.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
Question word first, verb immediately after
German
Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?)
English
Where do you live?
English and German both front question words, so the instinct transfers well. The key difference is what happens right after: English often needs a helper verb ("do/does") to ask a question — "Where do you live?" German never uses a dummy "do"; the real verb simply moves straight into position two, immediately after the question word: Wo wohnst du?, literally "Where live you?" Dropping the urge to insert a "do"-equivalent is the main adjustment for English speakers here.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| was | vahs | what |
| wer | vair | who |
| wo | voh | where |
| wann | vahn | when |
| warum | vah-ROOM | why |
| wie | vee | how |
| welche(r/s) | VEL-kheh | which |
| wie viel | vee feel | how much |
| wie viele | vee FEE-leh | how many |