wou / wuer
Where and Where to: Wou and Wuer
Use wou for a position, wuer for a direction and wouhier for an origin: Wou bass du? Wuer gees du? Wouhier kënns du?
How It Works
Three question words
- wou – where (position): Wou wunns du? (Where do you live?)
- wuer – where to (direction): Wuer gees du? (Where are you going?)
- wouhier – where from (origin): Wouhier kënns du? (Where are you from?)
Wouhin is a synonym of wuer. By the n-rule it is written wouhi before most consonants: Wouhi gees du?
Word order. The question word comes first and the verb second (the verb comes second).
Everyday speech. You will often hear wou for directions too, as in Wou gees du hin? The standard choice for a direction is still wuer or wouhin.
Polite Dir. With Dir, use the dir form of the verb: Wouhier kommt Dir? Do not confuse it with kënnt Dir, which means can you.
Wou also joins two sentences, as in d'Stad, wou ech wunnen (the town where I live). See wou in relative clauses. For a place with a town name, the answer usually uses zu: Ech wunnen zu Esch.
Examples (6)
- Wou wunns du?
Where do you live?
Word by Word: Where live you?
Wou asks about a position.
- Wou ass d'Gare?
Where is the train station?
Word by Word: Where is the station?
Wou asks where something is.
- Wuer gees du?
Where are you going?
Word by Word: Where-to go you?
Wuer asks about a direction.
- Wuer fuert dir an d'Vakanz?
Where are you all going on holiday?
Word by Word: Where-to drive you into the holiday?
Fueren shows movement, so the question uses wuer.
- Wouhier kommt Dir?
Where are you from?
Word by Word: Where-from come you?
Wouhier asks about an origin. Polite Dir takes kommt.
- Wouhier kënns du?
Where are you from?
Word by Word: Where-from come you?
With du, kommen changes to kënns.
Common Mistakes
Using wuer to ask about a position.
Wuer wunns du?Wou wunns du?Wuer asks where to. Living somewhere is a position, so use wou.
Keeping statement order after the question word.
Wou du wunns?Wou wunns du?The verb comes right after the question word.
Using kënnt with polite Dir when you mean come.
Wouhier kënnt Dir?Wouhier kommt Dir?The Dir form of kommen is kommt. Kënnt Dir means can you.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Where and Where To: Wou and Wuer, learn What and Who: Wat and Wien.
Related Patterns
- wéiniWhen: Wéini
The question word for when.
Level 1 - goenTo Go: Goen
Wuer often goes with verbs of movement such as goen.
Level 1 - zu + TownIn a Town: Zu
Answers about towns often use zu.
Level 1 - Relative wouWou for Places and Times
Wou also introduces relative clauses about places and times.
Level 3 - wou- + PrepositionQuestions with Wou-: Woumat, Wourop
Wou- joins prepositions in questions like woumat and wourop.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice wou / wuer in Bubblegum
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