German · Greetings & Essentials
"What?" in German: was?
was?
What in German is was?. Say Was ist das? and Was machst du?. For "which/what kind," Germans often use was für or welcher.
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How to pronounce was?
Say it
VAHSS
/vas/
VAHSS. Short a like "father" clipped, final s sharp. Question intonation rises.
"What?" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| was? | what? Default question word. | Default question word. |
| was ist das? | what is that? Identification. | Identification. |
| was für | what kind of Type/quality. | Type/quality. |
| wie bitte? | pardon? When you didn't catch something. | When you didn't catch something. |
How to use was? in real life
- 1Surprise
Was? Das glaub ich nicht!
What? I don't believe that!
Was alone as reaction.
- 2Shop
Was kostet das, bitte?
What does that cost, please?
Was as object.
- 3Plans
Was machst du heute Abend?
What are you doing this evening?
Was + verb.
Mistakes English speakers make with was?
Incorrect: What ist das?
Correct: Was ist das?
Use was, not English what.
Incorrect: Was Buch liest du? (for which book)
Correct: Welches Buch liest du?
For choosing among options, use welch-.
Good to know
A bare Was? can sound blunt. Soften with Wie bitte? when you need a repeat. Was denn? adds friendly curiosity.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Unpacking a mystery bag
ChatPal
Rate mal—was ist in der Tüte?
Guess—what's in the bag?
You
Was? Keine Ahnung.
What? No idea.
ChatPal
Doch, denk nach. Was riecht so süß?
Come on, think. What smells so sweet?
You
Ah—was für Erdbeeren? Frische?
Ah—what kind of strawberries? Fresh ones?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What?" in German
How do you say what is that?
Was ist das?
When do I use welcher instead of was?
When asking which one among known options.
How do you say what kind of?
Was für (ein)…
How do you politely ask someone to repeat?
Wie bitte?
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
