Preposition + wiem

With Whom? Preposition + Wiem

Level 3

Mat wiem schwätz du? (Who are you talking to?) Fir wien ass dat? (Who is that for?) The preposition comes first and decides between wiem and wien.

How It Works

1. Dative prepositions + wiem
After dative prepositions, use wiem:

  • Mat wiem gees du an de Kino? (Who are you going to the cinema with?)
  • Vu wiem ass de Bréif? (Who is the letter from?)
  • Bei wiem schléifs du haut? (Whose place are you sleeping at tonight?)

2. Accusative prepositions + wien
After accusative prepositions, use wien:

  • Fir wien ass de Kaddo? (Who is the present for?)
  • Géint wie spillt Lëtzebuerg? (Who is Luxembourg playing against?)

3. Verbs with fixed prepositions
With a verb that has a fixed preposition, use the case that preposition takes with the verb. Op, un and iwwer take the accusative in these verbs: Op wie waarde mer nach? U wien denks du? Iwwer wie schwätzt dir? See Verbs With Fixed Prepositions.

4. The n-rule
Vun and un lose their n before w: vu wiem, u wien. Wien itself becomes wie before most consonants: Op wie waarts du? Wiem never changes. The everyday question U wiem ass et? means Whose turn is it?

5. Without a preposition
Wiem also stands alone for verbs that take a dative: Wiem hëllefs du? Wiem gehéiert dat? See Verbs With a Dative Object.

6. People only
For things, use a wou- word instead: Woumat schreifs du? See Questions With Wou-.

Examples (6)

  1. Mat wiem schwätz du?

    Who are you talking to?

    Mat takes the dative, so the question word is wiem. Schwätzen has the du form schwätz.

  2. Vu wiem ass de Bréif?

    Who is the letter from?

    Vun loses its n before w by the n-rule.

  3. Fir wien ass de Kaddo?

    Who is the present for?

    Fir takes the accusative, so the question word is wien.

  4. Bei wiem schléifs du haut?

    Whose place are you sleeping at tonight?

  5. Op wie waarde mer nach?

    Who are we still waiting for?

    Waarden op takes the accusative, so the question word is wien, written wie before w. Waarden drops its n before m.

  6. U wien denks du?

    Who are you thinking of?

    Un becomes u before w by the n-rule.

Common Mistakes

  • Using wien after a dative preposition.

    Mat wien ass hatt an de Kino gaangen?
    Mat wiem ass hatt an de Kino gaangen?

    Mat always takes the dative, and the dative of wien is wiem.

  • Using wiem after an accusative preposition.

    Fir wiem ass de Kaddo?
    Fir wien ass de Kaddo?

    Fir always takes the accusative, so it needs wien.

  • Keeping the n of vun before wiem.

    Vun wiem ass de Bréif?
    Vu wiem ass de Bréif?

    By the n-rule, the n of vun is dropped before w.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Preposition + wiemLevel 3With Whom? Preposition + Wiem

Learn This First

Before With Whom? Preposition + Wiem, learn Questions With Wou-: Woumat, Wourop.

Words in This Pattern

wiemwien