wie
How
Wie is the German word for 'how'. It is used to ask about the way something is done, the degree of an adjective, or to compare two things that are the same.
How It Works
The word wie is a versatile word that functions as both an adverb and a subordinating conjunction. Its form never changes, and it serves several core purposes:
1. Direct Questions: When asking 'How', wie occupies the first position, followed immediately by the verb (the V2 word order). For example: Wie geht es dir? (How are you?).
2. Indirect Questions: In indirect questions, wie acts as a subordinator, and the verb moves to the end of the clause. For example: Ich weiß nicht, wie er heißt. (I don't know what he is called).
3. Asking about Degree: When combined with an adjective, it asks 'to what extent'. Common pairs include wie viel (how much), wie oft (how often), and wie alt (how old).
4. Idiomatic 'What': German uses wie for specific data points where English uses 'what'. This includes names (Wie heißt du?), phone numbers (Wie ist deine Telefonnummer?), and addresses (Wie ist deine Adresse?).
5. Exclamations: You can use wie to emphasize a quality in an exclamation. For example: Wie schön! (How beautiful!).
6. Comparisons and Resemblance: When comparing two things that are equal, use the pattern so + [adjective] + wie (e.g., so groß wie - as big as). It also expresses resemblance, meaning 'like' or 'as' (e.g., Er rennt wie ein Hase. - He runs like a rabbit). This is distinct from comparisons of inequality which use als.
Examples (5)
- Wie heißt du?
What is your name?
Word by Word: How are-called you?
A classic idiomatic use where German uses 'wie' instead of 'was' to ask for a name.
- Wie alt bist du?
How old are you?
Word by Word: How old are you?
Here 'wie' modifies the adjective 'alt' to ask about degree.
- Wie geht es Ihnen?
How are you? (formal)
Word by Word: How goes it to-you?
A standard question about manner or condition.
- Er ist so groß wie ich.
He is as tall as I am.
Word by Word: He is so tall as I.
Demonstrates 'wie' used in a comparison of equality.
- Wie viel kostet das?
How much does that cost?
Word by Word: How much costs that?
Using 'wie' with 'viel' to ask about an uncountable amount (money).
Common Mistakes
Using 'wie' for comparisons of inequality (than).
Ich bin schneller wie du.Ich bin schneller als du.In standard German, 'wie' is only for equality (as... as). For 'than', you must use 'als'. Using 'wie' here is a common dialectal habit but is considered incorrect in formal speech.
Incorrect word order in indirect questions.
Ich weiß nicht, wie alt bist du.Ich weiß nicht, wie alt du bist.When 'wie' starts a subordinate clause (an indirect question), the verb must move to the very end.
Translating 'What is your name?' literally.
Was heißt du?Wie heißt du?German uses 'wie' (how) with the verb 'heißen' to ask for a name, not 'was' (what).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'wie' (how) effectively, you need to understand how to structure a basic German sentence and how to conjugate verbs in the present tense to form meaningful questions.
Related Patterns
- wie/alsAs...As / than
Explains the difference between using 'wie' for equality and 'als' for inequality.
Level 2 - wer/wasWho/What
Other basic interrogative pronouns often used alongside 'wie'.
Level 1 - viel/vieleMuch/Many
Explains the difference between 'wie viel' (how much) and 'wie viele' (how many).
Level 1 - Verb-Second Word Order
The rule that places the verb in the second position after 'wie' in direct questions.
Level 2 - Embedded Questions
Covers how 'wie' functions when embedded inside another sentence.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice wie in Bubblegum
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