Basic German Question Words Explained

You can't have a real conversation in German without asking questions — and it all starts with a small set of question words. In this lesson, we go through the most important and commonly used German question words with three example sentences for each, so you can start forming your own questions right away.

The Core German Question Words

wer (who) — Wer bist du? was (what) — Was machst du? wo (where) — Wo wohnst du? wann (when) — Wann kommst du? warum (why) — Warum lernst du Deutsch? wie (how) — Wie heißt du?

More Question Words to Know

wie viel(e) (how much/many) — Wie viel kostet das? welche(r/s) (which) — Welche Farbe magst du? wohin (where to) — Wohin gehst du? woher (where from) — Woher kommst du? wie lange (how long) — Wie lange dauert das?

Bonus: "Wozu"

One useful extra question word beyond the basics: wozu (what for / to what purpose) — Wozu brauchst du das? (What do you need that for?). It's less common day to day than the others, but handy once you start asking more detailed questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common German question words?

Wer (who), was (what), wo (where), wann (when), warum (why), and wie (how) form the essential core.

What's the difference between "wohin" and "woher"?

Wohin asks where someone is going to (destination), while woher asks where someone is coming from (origin).

How do you ask "how much" in German?

Wie viel for uncountable things (Wie viel kostet das?) and wie viele for countable things.

What does "wozu" mean in German?

Wozu means "what for" or "to what purpose", as in Wozu brauchst du das? (What do you need that for?).

How do you ask someone's name in German?

Wie heißt du? (informal) or Wie heißen Sie? (formal), both meaning "What is your name?".

Want to keep practicing real conversational questions like these? Our A1 German course.