wou- + Preposition
Questions with Wou-: Woumat, Wourop
To ask about a thing together with a preposition, join wou- to it: Wourop waarts du? (What are you waiting for?) Woumat bezils du? (What are you paying with?)
How It Works
1. Building the word
This is the question partner of the do- words:
- wou- + consonant: woumat (with what), woufir (for what, what for), wouvun (of what, from what), wouzou (for what purpose), wouduerch (through what)
- wour- + vowel: wourop (on what, for what), wourun (of what), wouran (in what), wouriwwer (about what)
2. Word order
The wou- word comes first and the verb second, as in every question with a question word: Wouriwwer hutt dir geschwat?
3. With verbs with fixed prepositions
The preposition comes from the verb: waarden op gives Wourop waarts du?, denken un gives Wourun denks du? See Verbs With Fixed Prepositions.
4. Preposition + wat
Many speakers say the preposition with wat instead: Op wat waarts du? Mat wat bezils du? Both are correct. Before wat fir en, only the preposition + wat form works: Mat wat fir engem Zuch kënns du?
5. Only for things
Wou- words ask about things and ideas. For a person, put the preposition before wien or wiem: Op wie waarts du? Mat wiem schwätz du? See With Whom? Preposition + Wiem.
6. The n-rule and indirect questions
Wouvun and wourun lose their n before most consonants: Wouru läit et, datt s du ëmmer ze spéit kënns? Inside a larger sentence, the wou- word starts a clause with the verb at the end: Ech weess net, wouriwwer si geschwat hunn. See Indirect Questions.
Examples (6)
- Wourop waarts du?
What are you waiting for?
Waarden goes with op, and op starts with a vowel, so the question word is wourop.
- Woumat bezils du? – Mat der Kaart.
What are you paying with? – With the card.
The answer repeats the preposition mat.
- Wouriwwer hutt dir geschwat?
What did you talk about?
- Woufir brauchs du dat?
What do you need that for?
- Wourun denks du?
What are you thinking about?
Wourun keeps its n before d.
- Woumat kéint ech der eng Freed maachen?
What could I do to make you happy?
Literally: with what could I give you a joy?
Common Mistakes
Using a wou- word to ask about a person.
Woumat gees du an de Kino?Mat wiem gees du an de Kino?If you mean with whom, you are asking about a person. Wou- words ask about things; for people use the preposition with wiem or wien.
Putting the preposition at the end, as in English.
Wat waarts du op?Wourop waarts du?The preposition cannot be left at the end of the question. Join it to wou- (wourop) or put it in front of wat (op wat).
Forgetting the r before a vowel.
Wouop waarts du?Wourop waarts du?When the preposition starts with a vowel, wou- becomes wour-: wourop, wouriwwer, wourun.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Questions With Wou-: Woumat, Wourop, learn It With Prepositions: Domat, Dofir, Dorop.
Related Patterns
- Preposition + wiemWith Whom? Preposition + Wiem
Asks the same kind of question about a person.
Level 3 - Verbs With Fixed Prepositions
The preposition in the wou- word usually comes from one of these verbs.
Level 3 - wat / wienWhat and Who: Wat and Wien
Wat is the basic question word for things.
Level 1 - Indirect Questions
Wou- words can also start an indirect question with the verb at the end.
Level 3 - wat fir enWhat Kind of: Wat Fir En
Before wat fir en, the preposition stays separate: mat wat fir engem.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice wou- + Preposition in Bubblegum
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