Question Words
வினாச் சொற்கள்
Each German question word maps neatly onto a Tamil counterpart — but German always drags the question word to the very front of the sentence, while Tamil usually leaves it sitting right where the answer word would go.
Grammar Comparison
இலக்கண ஒப்பீடு
Fronting vs. in-situ
Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live? — wo must come first)
நீ எங்கே வசிக்கிறாய்? (you where live — எங்கே sits in its natural adverb slot, not forced forward)
Tamil question words stay exactly where the answer word would go in the sentence — எங்கே sits in the same spot வீட்டில் ('at home') would occupy in a reply. German always promotes the question word to position one, ahead of the verb, which then must land in position two, following the verb-second rule. When forming a German question, build the habit: question word first, verb immediately after — no exceptions, even though Tamil never forces this.
Vocabulary
சொற்கள்
| German | Pronunciation | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| was | vahs | என்னeṉṉa | what |
| wer | vair | யார்yār | who |
| wo | voh | எங்கேeṅgē | where |
| wann | vahn | எப்போதுeppōdhu | when |
| warum | vah-ROOM | ஏன்ēṉ | why |
| wie | vee | எப்படிeppadi | how |
| welche(r/s) | VEL-kheh | எதுedhu | which |
| wie viel | vee feel | எவ்வளவுevvaḷavu | how much |