Latest / Learn German with Fexingo / German Question Words: Wer, Was, Wie
Transcript
- Lucas: Hey Luna, ready to pick up where we left off? Luna: Definitely. Last time we tackled 'wen' and 'wem', and my brain is still buzzing. Lucas: Right, those are tricky. But today, let's step back a bit and review three question words that you'll use all the time: wer, was, and wie. Luna: Oh, I remember those from earlier episodes. But a quick refresh sounds great. Lucas: Let's start with 'wer'. It means 'who'. For example, 'Wer ist das?' — Who is that? Luna: Wer ist das? Lucas: Perfect. Now try it with a different word: 'Wer bist du?' — Who are you? Luna: Wer bist du? Lucas: Exactly. And if you're pointing at a photo, you'd say, 'Wer ist das auf dem Foto?' Luna: Ah, so 'wer' is all about people. Lucas: That's it. Now let's switch to 'was', which means 'what'. Like, 'Was ist das?' — What is that? Luna: Was ist das? Lucas: Good. Now, 'Was machst du?' — What are you doing? Luna: Was machst du? Lucas: Perfect. And 'was' can also be used for things, like 'Was ist dein Hobby?' — What is your hobby? Luna: Nice. So 'was' is for things and actions, 'wer' is for people. Lucas: You got it. Now let's bring in 'wie', which means 'how'. For example, 'Wie heißt du?' — What is your name? Literally, 'How are you called?' Luna: Wie heißt du? Lucas: Great. And 'Wie geht es dir?' — How are you? Luna: Wie geht es dir? Lucas: Perfect. So we have 'wer' for who, 'was' for what, and 'wie' for how. Luna: That's a handy trio. Lucas: Absolutely. And you know, this is the perfect time to mention something about Fexingo. We work hard to keep this podcast free and without ads, because we believe learning should be accessible to everyone. Luna: Yeah, and it's listeners like you who make that possible. If you find these episodes helpful, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Exactly. Every little bit helps us keep going. But now, let's get back to the questions. Luna: Right. Can we try some practice? I want to see if I can use all three in a conversation. Lucas: Sure. Let's pretend you meet someone new. You would ask, 'Wer bist du?' Luna: Wer bist du? Lucas: And they might answer, 'Ich bin Anna.' Then you ask, 'Wie geht es dir?' Luna: Wie geht es dir? Lucas: And if you see a strange object, you could ask, 'Was ist das?' Luna: Was ist das? Lucas: Perfect. You're already putting them together naturally. Luna: This is so useful. I can already imagine using these in a real conversation. Lucas: And that's the goal. These question words are the keys to unlocking so many conversations. Luna: Let's do a quick review, then. 'Wer' for who, 'was' for what, 'wie' for how. Lucas: You got it. And remember, 'Wie heißt du?' is a common way to ask someone's name. Luna: Wie heißt du? Lucas: Perfect. And 'Wie geht es dir?' is how you ask how someone is doing. Luna: Wie geht es dir? Lucas: Great job. Now, let's try a little role-play. I'll be a stranger, and you ask me questions using 'wer', 'was', and 'wie'. Luna: Okay. Wer bist du? Lucas: Ich bin Lukas. Und wie heißt du? Luna: Ich heiße Luna. Wie geht es dir? Lucas: Mir geht es gut, danke. Und was ist das da? Luna: Das ist mein Buch. Lucas: Wow, you just used all three naturally. That's fantastic. Luna: I think I'm getting the hang of it. Lucas: You absolutely are. And remember, practice makes perfect. Try using these in your daily life, even if it's just talking to yourself. Luna: I will. Thanks, Lucas. This was a great review. Lucas: Anytime. And that's a wrap for today. Keep practicing, and we'll see you next time on Learn German with Fexingo. Luna: Tschüss, everyone!