A2 · Élémentaire Chapitre 9

Asking and Identifying

5 Règles totales
52 exemples
5 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of precision by asking exactly who, what, and which one.

  • Distinguish between people and things in questions.
  • Apply the correct case endings to 'who' and 'which'.
  • Point out specific items using demonstrative pronouns.
Stop pointing, start pinpointing with German precision.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

Ready to level up your German? You've got the basics down, but in this chapter, we're diving deep into asking precise questions and pinpointing exactly what you mean, whether you're talking about people or objects. Imagine you're in a bustling Berlin cafe, wanting to order *that specific* coffee your friend just had, or you're browsing a shop, trying to ask for *which* shirt you're interested in; the skills you'll gain here are your new superpowers! We'll kick things off with Was – your straightforward what for things and actions, always easy. Then, we tackle the who family in German:

wer, wen, wem, wessen.
You'll learn to perfectly match who or whom to the grammatical role of the person you're asking about. This is super important for understanding who's doing what to whom, making your conversations much clearer! Next up, we unlock how to ask which one using welcher, welche, welches. These act like precise selectors, helping you narrow down choices and clearly communicate your selection, whether it's which book? or which car?. Finally, we'll master dieser, diese, dieses, which acts like a laser pointer! You'll use it to specify this or that, perfectly mirroring the endings of definite articles to match the noun's gender and case. By the end of this chapter, you'll confidently ask detailed, unambiguous questions and precisely refer to anything or anyone around you. You'll feel much more at home navigating real-life German conversations!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Ask what an object is or what someone is doing using 'Was'.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Identify the correct case for 'who' based on its grammatical role in a sentence.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Select specific items from a group using 'welcher' and 'dieser' with correct gender endings.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

Ready to elevate your A2 German grammar? You've mastered the basics, but now it's time to refine your communication by learning how to ask precise questions and identify specific things or people. This chapter is your guide to becoming more articulate and confident in real-world German interactions.
Imagine yourself in a bustling German market, wanting to ask for *that specific* type of bread, or trying to figure out *who* is responsible for an event. The skills you'll gain here are fundamental for moving beyond simple statements and truly engaging in dynamic conversations. We'll explore essential German question words and demonstratives that will act as your linguistic laser pointer, enabling you to pinpoint exactly what you mean.
Mastering these structures is crucial for understanding nuanced meaning and making yourself understood clearly, a key step in your German language learning journey.

How This Grammar Works

This chapter focuses on several key tools for asking questions and identifying specifics. First, we tackle Was (What), your go-to for inquiries about things or actions. It's straightforward and doesn't change: Was ist das? (What is that?), Was machst du? (What are you doing?).
Next, we dive into the who family, which is crucial for understanding cases. Wer asks who in the nominative case (the subject): Wer kommt heute? (Who is coming today?). For the accusative case (the direct object), you use Wen: Wen siehst du? (Whom/Who do you see?).
When asking about the indirect object (dative case), you use Wem: Wem gibst du das Buch? (To whom/Who are you giving the book?). Finally, for possession (genitive case), it's Wessen: Wessen Handy ist das? (Whose phone is that?).
Moving on, we explore how to ask which one using welcher, welche, welches. These words function like articles and must agree in gender and case with the noun they refer to. For example, Welches Buch möchtest du? (Which book would you like?) uses welches because *Buch* is neuter accusative.
For a feminine noun in nominative, it's Welche Farbe magst du? (Which color do you like?). For a masculine noun in dative, it could be Mit welchem Freund gehst du? (With which friend are you going?). Lastly, we'll master dieser, diese, dieses (this/that).
These demonstratives also agree in gender and case with the noun, much like definite articles. Dieser Kaffee ist lecker. (This coffee is delicious.) (Dieser for masculine nominative *Kaffee*). Ich mag diese Tasche. (I like this bag.) (Diese for feminine accusative *Tasche*).
Understanding these agreements is fundamental for precise communication in German grammar.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: Wer siehst du?
✓ Correct: Wen siehst du?
*Explanation:* Wer is nominative (who is doing the action), but here du is the subject doing the seeing, and the person being seen is the direct object (accusative). Therefore, you need wen (whom).
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Ich möchte dieser Apfel.
✓ Correct:
Ich möchte diesen Apfel.
*Explanation:* Apfel is masculine, and in this sentence, Apfel is the direct object of möchte (I would like), which requires the accusative case. The accusative form for masculine dieser is diesen.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Was ist der Mann dort?
    (meaning
    Who is the man there?
    )
✓ Correct:
Wer ist der Mann dort?
*Explanation:* Was is used for things or actions. When asking about a person, you must use wer (who), which is the correct question word for people in the nominative case.

Real Conversations

A

A

Entschuldigung, wer ist der Mann mit dem roten Hemd? (Excuse me, who is the man with the red shirt?)
B

B

Das ist Herr Schmidt. Wen meinst du genau? (That is Mr. Schmidt. Whom do you mean exactly?)
A

A

Welches Auto gehört dir? Das blaue oder dieses rote hier? (Which car belongs to you? The blue one or this red one here?)
B

B

Dieses rote hier gehört mir. Das blaue ist von meinem Freund. (This red one here belongs to me. The blue one is my friend's.)
A

A

Was machst du am Wochenende? (What are you doing on the weekend?)
B

B

Ich besuche meine Familie. Wem soll ich Grüße bestellen? (I'm visiting my family. To whom should I give greetings?)

Quick FAQ

Q

When do I use 'wer' vs. 'wem' in German?

Use wer (nominative) when asking about the subject of a sentence (who is doing something). Use wem (dative) when asking about the indirect object (to whom or for whom something is done).

Q

How do 'welcher' and 'dieser' change their endings in German?

Both welcher and dieser (and their feminine/neuter forms) change their endings to match the gender, number, and case of the noun they refer to, just like definite articles (der, die, das).

Q

Can 'was' be used for people in German?

No, was is exclusively for things or actions. For people, you must use the appropriate form of who (wer, wen, wem, wessen), depending on the grammatical case.

Cultural Context

In German conversations, directness is often valued. Using precise question words like wer or was, and demonstratives like dieser, helps avoid ambiguity and is considered perfectly polite and clear. Unlike some languages where being too direct might be seen as impolite, in German, it's often preferred for clear communication.
There aren't significant regional differences in the usage of these core grammatical structures; they are universally understood and applied across German-speaking countries, making your learning broadly applicable.

Exemples clés (8)

1

Was machst du heute Abend?

Qu'est-ce que tu fais ce soir ?

Le mot interrogatif : « Quoi / Que » (Was)
2

Was ist dein TikTok-Handle?

Quel est ton nom d'utilisateur TikTok ?

Le mot interrogatif : « Quoi / Que » (Was)
3

Wer hat die letzte Pizza-Ecke gegessen?

Qui a mangé la dernière part de pizza ?

Demander 'Qui ?' (wer, wen, wem, wessen)
4

Wen hast du auf dem Foto markiert?

Qui as-tu identifié sur la photo ?

Demander 'Qui ?' (wer, wen, wem, wessen)
5

Wen rufst du heute Abend an?

Qui appelles-tu ce soir ?

Demander « qui » (objet - wen)
6

Wen hast du auf {dem|m} {Foto|n} markiert?

Qui as-tu taggé sur la photo ?

Demander « qui » (objet - wen)
7

Welcher Laptop ist besser?

Quel ordinateur portable est le meilleur ?

Le mot interrogatif 'welcher' (Lequel / Laquelle)
8

Welchen Song hörst du gerade?

Quelle chanson écoutes-tu en ce moment ?

Le mot interrogatif 'welcher' (Lequel / Laquelle)

Conseils et astuces (4)

🎯

Le raccourci 'Etwas'

Si tu entends des Allemands dire 'Möchtest du was essen?', ils raccourcissent juste 'etwas' pour parler plus vite. Tu peux le faire aussi pour sonner comme un natif !
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le mot interrogatif : « Quoi / Que » (Was)
💡

Le truc du 'm'

Quand tu réponds par ihm (à lui), la question est wem. Facile, les deux finissent par m ! Par exemple, si tu dis Ich helfe ihm, tu demandes Wem hilfst du?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Demander 'Qui ?' (wer, wen, wem, wessen)
🎯

L'astuce du 'Den'

Si la réponse à ta question pourrait être den Mann ou einen Freund (qui finissent par -n), alors la question doit être wen (qui finit aussi par -n).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Demander « qui » (objet - wen)
🎯

Le Miroir de l'Article

Si tu es bloqué, pense au mot 'le' ou 'la'. Si tu utiliserais 'den' pour le nom, utilise welchen. Les dernières lettres correspondent souvent ! Par exemple, pour un homme ('der Mann'), tu dirais
Welchen Mann siehst du?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le mot interrogatif 'welcher' (Lequel / Laquelle)

Vocabulaire clé (6)

der Rock the skirt die Tasche the bag das Buch the book besuchen to visit gehören to belong to (+ Dative) gefallen to please / to like (+ Dative)

Real-World Preview

shopping-bag

At a Clothing Boutique

Review Summary

  • Was + Verb...?
  • Wer/Wen/Wem/Wessen + Verb...?
  • Welch- / Dies- + [Ending]

Erreurs courantes

In German, you cannot use 'Was' for people. Use 'Wer' (Who) instead, even if you are asking about their identity.

Wrong: Was ist das Mann?
Correct: Wer ist der Mann?

'Buch' is neuter (das Buch). The ending of 'welcher' must match the gender and case of the noun.

Wrong: Welcher Buch liest du?
Correct: Welches Buch liest du?

The person being loved is the direct object (Accusative). Therefore, you must use 'wen' instead of the subject form 'wer'.

Wrong: Wer liebst du?
Correct: Wen liebst du?

Next Steps

You've just conquered one of the most technical parts of A2 German grammar! Being able to use cases with question words is a huge milestone. Keep practicing those endings!

Go to a grocery store or look at an online shop. Ask yourself 'Welchen [item] kaufe ich?' and answer 'Ich kaufe diesen [item].'

Write 5 questions starting with 'Wen' or 'Wem' to ask a friend about their family.

Continue to: Rules, Wishes, and Advice

Pratique rapide (10)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans cette phrase à propos d'un sac ({die|f} Tasche).

Find and fix the mistake:

Welches Tasche gehört dir?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Welche Tasche gehört dir?
Le sac ({die|f} Tasche) est féminin. La forme nominatif féminin est 'welche'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le mot interrogatif 'welcher' (Lequel / Laquelle)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur

Find and fix the mistake:

Wer hast du auf Instagram gesehen?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wen hast du auf Instagram gesehen?
Gesehen (vu) a besoin d'un objet direct. Tu demandes 'Qui as-tu vu ?', donc wer doit devenir wen.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Demander « qui » (objet - wen)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Was Pizza magst du am liebsten?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Welche Pizza magst du am liebsten?
Quand tu choisis parmi une catégorie ou un ensemble spécifique, 'Welche' (Quelle) est plus naturel que 'Was'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le mot interrogatif : « Quoi / Que » (Was)

Quelle phrase est correcte pour poser une question sur une personne ?

Sélectionne la bonne question :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wer ist dein Bruder?
Pour poser des questions sur les personnes, on doit utiliser 'Wer' (Qui), pas 'Was' (Quoi).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le mot interrogatif : « Quoi / Que » (Was)

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

Choisis la question grammaticalement correcte :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wen rufst du an?
Le verbe anrufen exige l'accusatif pour la personne appelée.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Demander « qui » (objet - wen)

Complète la phrase avec la forme correcte de 'dieser'.

Ich mag ____ (m) Hund sehr.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: diesen
Le chien est l'objet direct (Accusatif). Puisque 'Hund' est masculin {der|m}, on utilise diesen.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Les démonstratifs allemands : Utiliser 'ce/cet' (dieser)

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

Choose the grammatically correct question about a movie ({der|m} Film):

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Welchen Film sehen wir?
Dans 'Welchen Film sehen wir?', 'Film' est l'objet regardé (Accusatif). Seul 'welchen' correspond à l'Accusatif Masculin.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le mot interrogatif 'welcher' (Lequel / Laquelle)

Remplis le blanc avec la bonne forme de 'welcher'.

___ Tee möchtest du trinken? (Masculine, Accusative)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Welchen
Le thé ({der|m} Tee) est l'objet direct, donc nous avons besoin de la forme Accusatif Masculin.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le mot interrogatif 'welcher' (Lequel / Laquelle)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans cette phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Wer hilfst du?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wem hilfst du?
Le verbe « helfen » (aider) demande toujours le datif en allemand. C'est pour cela que « wer » devient « wem ».

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Demander 'Qui ?' (wer, wen, wem, wessen)

Remplis le blanc avec 'wer' ou 'wen'

___ besuchst du am Wochenende?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wen
C'est toi qui visites (sujet), et tu visites 'qui' (objet). Donc, utilise 'wen'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Demander « qui » (objet - wen)

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

Non, 'was' reste 'was', que tu parles d'une seule chose ou de plusieurs. Par exemple, Was ist das? (singulier) et Was sind das? (pluriel) fonctionnent parfaitement.
Oui ! Tu peux demander
Was bist du von Beruf?
ou Was arbeitest du?. Ici, 'was' se réfère au métier ou à l'activité, pas directement à la personne.
Oui, grammaticalement, « wer » est toujours au singulier. Même si tu vois un groupe d'amis, tu demandes : Wer ist das? et non Wer sind das?. C'est comme ça !
Tu utilises « wen » pour le complément d'objet direct (Accusatif) et « wem » pour le complément d'objet indirect ou après un verbe datif. Par exemple, tu demandes : Wen siehst du? (qui vois-tu ?) mais Wem hilfst du? (à qui aides-tu ?).
Retiens le 'n' ! Tout comme den et einen, wen est la forme accusatif pour poser des questions sur les personnes. Si quelqu'un est l'objet, ajoute le 'n'.
Techniquement, pour les animaux on utilise plutôt was, mais dans la conversation courante, si tu traites ton animal comme une personne, wen est tout à fait acceptable.
Wen fütterst du?
(Qui nourris-tu ?) sonne très affectueux.
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