Start with the sentence
The full question-word reference keeps its complete question-and-answer listening table. Here, use the selected person examples to decide the role before choosing the form.
Start with the answer you need
| Question expression | Look for | Example | Possible answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| wer | person doing something | Wer öffnet den Laden? | Nora. |
| wen | person: accusative role | Wen besuchst du? | Meinen Bruder. |
| wem | person: dative role | Wem hilfst du? | Meiner Nachbarin. |
| wessen | whose; owner or relationship | Wessen Jacke ist das? | Das ist Noras Jacke. |
Distinguish the person’s role from the choice
Wer, wen and wem ask about people but fit different grammatical roles. Compare Wer hilft dir? – Meine Schwester., Wen rufst du an? – Meinen Bruder. and Wem hilfst du? – Meiner Schwester.. The verb or a preposition determines the required case. A person’s real-world importance does not decide it.
Keep a required preposition: Mit wem sprichst du? – Mit Nora.. Wessen asks about belonging: Wessen Tasche ist das?. For selection, welch- changes its ending with the noun: Welcher Bus fährt? but Welchen Bus nehmen wir?. These examples introduce the difference; they are not a complete case-ending chart.
Practise with the context
Replace the blank or ask for the highlighted information. Decide which answer would make the question complete before opening the explanation.
- ___ kommt morgen? – Meine Kollegin.
Show answer and reason
Wer kommt morgen? The missing information is the person who comes: the subject.
- ___ besuchst du? – Meinen Vater.
Show answer and reason
Wen besuchst du? Besuchen takes an accusative object; the person form is wen.
- Mit ___ fährst du? – Mit Ali.
Show answer and reason
Mit wem fährst du? Mit requires dative. Keep the preposition with wem.
Apply the pattern to a complete question or answer
Keep the person you are asking about separate from the other participants. For Nora besucht Ali., Wer besucht Ali? asks for Nora, while Wen besucht Nora? asks for Ali. Wessen asks whose and stays with its noun: Wessen Schlüssel ist das?. Do not select a case merely because both people could be answers in a different question.
Try further contextual checks
1. Ask whose jacket it is. The expected answer is Das ist Noras Jacke. Use wessen.
Wessen Jacke ist das?
Wessen asks for the ownership or relationship expressed by Noras. Keep Jacke in the question phrase.
2. Ask about the person receiving help: Du hilfst deiner Nachbarin. Keep helfen and du.
Wem hilfst du?
Helfen has a dative person complement here. Replace deiner Nachbarin with wem.
3. For Nora besucht Ali., ask for Ali and keep Nora as the subject.
Wen besucht Nora?
Ali is the accusative object of besucht. Wen asks for that person; wer would ask for the subject instead.
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German question words: meanings, answers and practice · Find another grammar topic
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