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1.5.1.6: Question words

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    Conjunctions: Fragen

    There are two ways to ask a question, depending on the type of information you need. Whereas a yes/no question is only interested in an either-or answer, the so-called w-questions require a more comprehensive answer (unless they are rhetorical questions, of course ...) as the following top-ten list of stupidest ... ahem ... most fateful fairy tale questions ever asked illustrate!

    con_05_01_top-ten.gif

    10. der Vater von Hänsel und Gretel Was soll aus uns werden? What should become of us?
    9. die Grossmutter Wer ist das vor der Tür? Who is that at the door?
    8. Esel Woher kann das Licht kommen? Where could that light be coming from?
    7. die Stiefschwester Wieso bist du mit Gold bedeckt? Why are you covered in gold?
    6. der Prinz Wessen Schuh ist das? Whose shoe is that?
    5. Rotkäppchen Großmutter, warum hast du so große Augen? Why are your eyes so big, Grandmother?
    4. der Wolf Wohin, wohin kleines Mädchen? Where to, where to little girl?
    3. die böse Königin Wer ist die Schönste im ganzen Land? Who is the prettiest of all?
    2. Dornröschens Vater Wieviele Teller haben wir nochmal? Nur 12? How many plates do we have? Only 12?
    1. Rapunzel Wie kommt das, Frau Grotel, dass der Königssohn so viel leichter ist als Sie? How come, Frau Grotel, that the prince is so much lighter than you?

    W-question words

    The question word in German is at the beginning (they are called W-words because they all start with the letter w], followed by the conjugated verb in second position whether that conjugated verb is a modal verb (e.g., können, sollen) or an auxiliary verb (e.g., hätte, ist, werde).

    Wann? When? Wie lange? How long?
    Warum? Why?   Wie viele? How many? (count nouns)
    Was? What?   Wieso? Why?
    Wer? Who?   Wieviel? How much? (mass nouns)
    Weshalb? Why?   Wo? Where?
    Wessen? Whose?   Woher? Where from?
    Weswegen? Why?   Wohin? Where to?

    Nota Bene: WER and WO are false cognates with the English "who" and "where."

    WER = WHO
    WO = WHERE
    Wer rettet Dornröschen am Ende? Who saves Sleeping Beauty in the end?
    Wo findet er die wunderschöne Prinzessin? Where does he find the wondrously beautiful princess?

    Cases

    Welcher and wer have to be declined if they are in the accusative or dative case.

    WELCH- nominativ akkusativ dativ
    Maskulin welcher welchen (von) welchem
    Feminin welche welche (von) welcher
    Neutral welches welches (von) welchem
    Plural welche welche (von) welchen

    Welches Märchen hast du am liebsten? Which fairy tale do you like the best?
    Mit welchem vergifteten Geschenk tötet die Königin Schneewittchen? Which poisoned gift does the queen kill Snow White with? (or With which ...)

     

    WER nominativ akkusativ dativ
    Alle Geschlechter wer wen (von) wem

    Dornröschen Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? Who is riding so late through night and wind?
    der Froschkönig Warte mal, das ist doch gar kein Grimm-Märchen! Wait a sec, that's not a Grimm Fairy Tale!
    Dornröschen Sehr gut. Wen zitiere ich? Very good. Who am I quoting?
    der Froschkönig Ach ... Wer war das nochmal?!? Warte mal, ich weiß es ... Heidrun! Von wem wurde "Der Erlkönig" geschrieben? Ah ... who was that again?!? Wait a sec, I know this ... Heidrun! Who wrote the poem "The Elf King"? [lit: by whom]

    con_05_02_frog-king-who.gif

    Indirect questions

    You can use all the W-question words in indirect questions as well, most often introduced by the following phrases:

    Ich weiß/Ich weiß nicht ... I know/I don't know ...
    Ich habe keine Ahnung ... I have no clue ...
    Wer weiß ... Who knows ...
    Weißt du ... Do you know ...
    Ich kann micht nicht erinnern ... I can't remember ...
    Ich habe vergessen ... I forgot ...
    Sie haben mich gefragt ... They asked me ...
    Ich möchte wissen ... I would like to know ...

    Dornröschen Ich möchte wissen, warum an meinem 15. Geburtstag niemand zu Hause war! I'd like to know why nobody was at home on my 15th birthday!
    (Frage: Warum war an meinem 15. Geburtstag niemand zu Hause)
    Aschenputtel Du weißt nicht, wo sie alle waren? You don't know where they all were?
    (Frage: Wo waren sie alle?)
    Dornröschen Ich frage mich, wieso sie nicht wussten, dass ich an diesem Tag verletzt wurde! I wonder how come they didn't know that I would be hurt that day!
    (Frage: Wieso wussten sie nicht, dass ich an diesem Tag verletzt wurde?)

    This page titled 1.5.1.6: Question words was last modified on Mon, 21 Jun 2021 16:21:28 GMT and is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Zsuzsanna Abrams and co-workers (Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning) .

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