Exclamatory Sentences
Exclamatory sentences express strong emotion like surprise, admiration, or anger, and they often change word order or use special constructions to highlight the intensity.
Forms
Exclamatory sentences typically take one of three forms: wie + adjective/adverb + normal word order, wie + noun phrase + verb second, or was für ein (or was für eine) + noun. Each form serves a slightly different nuance and emphasis.
Wie + Adjective/Adverb
Use wie followed by an adjective or adverb to emphasize a quality, and keep the rest of the sentence in normal order. This form works well for quick, vivid reactions.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ☀️ Wie schön der Sonnenaufgang ist! | How beautiful the sunrise is! |
| 🌬️ Wie kalt der Morgenwind heute weht! | How cold the morning wind blows today! |
| 🌅 Wie langsam die Dämmerung sich zieht! | How slowly the twilight drags on! |
| 🚤 Wie schnell die Boote über das Wasser gleiten! | How quickly the boats glide over the water! |
Wie + Noun Phrase
When you want to highlight a noun phrase, use wie followed by the noun and then place the verb in second position. This gives the noun more prominence in the exclamation.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🏝️ Wie eine goldene Insel leuchtet der Sonnenberg! | How like a golden island shines the sunlit hill! |
| 🌳 Wie ein riesiger Schatten steht die alte Eiche am See! | How like a giant shadow stands the old oak by the lake! |
| 🏠 Wie ein funkelndes Juwel liegt das Dorf im Tal! | How like a sparkling jewel lies the village in the valley! |
| ⛵ Wie ein weißer Vogel segelt das Boot über die Wellen! | How like a white bird sails the boat over the waves! |
Was für ein(e) + Noun
Use was für ein (masculine/neuter) or was für eine (feminine) to express amazement at the kind or magnitude of something. This construction emphasizes the category or intensity of the noun.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌈 Was für ein wunderschöner Regenbogen sich über das Tal spannt! | What a wonderful rainbow stretches over the valley! |
| 🌸 Was für eine bunte Blütenpracht an den Uferbäumen! | What a colorful blaze of blossoms on the riverside trees! |
| 🎆 Was für ein beeindruckendes Lichtspiel die Abenddämmerung bietet! | What an impressive display of lights the evening twilight offers! |
| 🐬 Was für elegante Sprünge die Delfine auf dem glitzernden Meer machen! | What elegant leaps the dolphins make on the sparkling sea! |
Short Exclamations
Short exclamations like so ein Glück!, ach, mensch, and interjections can convey strong feeling in a punchy way and are common in spoken German. They often stand alone or start a sentence.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌬️ Oh, wie kalt der Wind jetzt ist! | Oh, how cold the wind is now! |
| 🌧️ Ach, schon wieder ein Regenschauer! | Ah, another rain shower! |
| 🌅 Wow, der Sonnenaufgang ist ja unglaublich! | Wow, the sunrise is really incredible! |
| 🌠 Ah, eine Sternschnuppe am Abendhimmel! | Ah, a shooting star in the evening sky! |
Punctuation and Intonation
Exclamatory sentences end with an exclamation mark to signal force, and in speech they are marked by a raised or intensified tone. Writing them with wie or was für ein(e) cues the reader to the heightened emotion.
Summary
Exclamatory sentences use forms like wie + adjective/adverb, wie + noun phrase, and was für ein(e) + noun to spotlight emotion, and short interjections add punch in speech. Practice switching word order and choosing the right construction to match the feeling.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025