Translation of German word "was" to English
was
/vas/
Meaning
determinerWhich, especially which of an open-ended set of possibilities.
How to use
The word 'was' is used to ask for things or information in a direct or indirect question. It is often used in formal or written contexts. A common mistake is to confuse 'was' with 'wer', which is used to ask for people.
🇬🇧 English
what
Example
Welche Farbe wirst du verwenden?
What color will you use?
Hast du die Lebensmittel gekauft? — Mit welchem Geld? Wir haben kaum noch welche übrig.
Did you buy the groceries? — With what money? We hardly have any left.
Your personal vocabulary
🦊 Use this word in a live AI conversationCommon phrases
- Was ist das?— What is that?
- Was machst du?— What are you doing?
- Was für eine Frage— What a question
This concept in other languages
📖 Related grammar
Frequency rank: #39 in German
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of the German word "was"?▼
The German word "was" is defined as: "Which, especially which of an open-ended set of possibilities."
What does the German word "was" mean?▼
The German word "was" means "what" in English.
How do you pronounce the German word "was"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "was" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "was"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Ich frage mich, was das ist." (which translates as "What color will you use?").
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