This page covers the most frequent German question words and example phrases that can be used to ask about math problems, numbers, calculations, and more. It also clarifies when to use wer versus wen in the context of math questions (mainly in word problems involving people).
Question Words
German math questions typically begin with one of these question words, depending on what information is being requested (number, method, reason, etc.). Examples show how each word appears in a math-related question.
Question Words Table
| German Question Word | English Question Word | Example German | Example English |
|---|---|---|---|
| was | what | Was ist \( 7 + 5 \)? | What is \( 7 + 5 \)? |
| wie | how | Wie rechnet man \( 12 \times 4 \)? | How do you calculate \( 12 \times 4 \)? |
| wie viel(e) | how many / how much | Wie viele Ecken hat ein Würfel? | How many corners does a cube have? |
| warum | why | Warum ist \( 8 - 3 = 5 \)? | Why is \( 8 - 3 = 5 \)? |
| welcher / welche / welches | which | Welches Ergebnis ist richtig? | Which result is correct? |
| wer | who | Wer hat die Aufgabe gelöst? | Who solved the problem? |
| wann | when | Wann ist die Matheprüfung? | When is the math exam? |
| wo | where | Wo steht die Antwort? | Where is the answer? |
Common Question Phrases
These are some of the most common ways to ask math questions in German, covering basic arithmetic, problem-solving, and reasoning. You can insert different numbers or topics as needed.
Question Phrases Table
| German Phrase | English Phrase | Example German | Example English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wie viel ist ...? | How much is ...? | Wie viel ist \( 9 + 6 \)? | How much is \( 9 + 6 \)? |
| Was ist ...? | What is ...? | Was ist \( 15 - 7 \)? | What is \( 15 - 7 \)? |
| Wie rechnet man ...? | How do you calculate ...? | Wie rechnet man \( 3 \times 7 \)? | How do you calculate \( 3 \times 7 \)? |
| Wie löst man ...? | How do you solve ...? | Wie löst man diese Gleichung? | How do you solve this equation? |
| Was bedeutet ...? | What does ... mean? | Was bedeutet \( \sqrt{16} \)? | What does \( \sqrt{16} \) mean? |
| Warum ist ...? | Why is ...? | Warum ist \( 10 : 2 = 5 \)? | Why is \( 10 \div 2 = 5 \)? |
| Welche Zahl ...? | Which number ...? | Welche Zahl fehlt? | Which number is missing? |
| Wer hat ...? | Who has ...? | Wer hat das Ergebnis? | Who has the result? |
Common German phrase for 'What is ...?'
Was ist ...?
The phrase ‘Was ist ...?’ literally means ‘What is ...?’ and is used for straightforward math questions.
Using wer and wen
Both wer and wen mean "who," but wer is used for the subject of a sentence (the one doing the action), while wen is used as the direct object (the one receiving the action). In math, these pronouns mostly appear in word problems involving people.
Usage Table
| Pronoun | Role | Example German | Example English |
|---|---|---|---|
| wer | subject (nominative) | Wer löst die Aufgabe? | Who solves the problem? |
| wen | direct object (accusative) | Wen fragt der Lehrer? | Whom does the teacher ask? |
Important Notes
- Most math questions use wer because the person is usually the one performing the action.
- Use wen only if the person is the object of the action.
- In simple math questions without people, you won’t need either pronoun.
Examples
Here are some full example questions covering different math topics. Notice how the question words and phrases fit into each formula.
Examples Table
| Category | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Addition/Subtraction | Wie viel ist \( 25 + 17 \)? | How much is \( 25 + 17 \)? |
| Multiplication/Division | Wie rechnet man \( 48 : 8 \)? | How do you calculate \( 48 \div 8 \)? |
| Word Problems | Wer hat \( 12 \) Äpfel? | Who has 12 apples? |
| Geometry | Wie viele Seiten hat ein Dreieck? | How many sides does a triangle have? |
| Algebra | Wie löst man \( x + 5 = 12 \)? | How do you solve \( x + 5 = 12 \)? |
| Reasoning | Warum ist \( 0 \times 7 = 0 \)? | Why is \( 0 \times 7 = 0 \)? |
Summary
- Start with a question word that matches the information you want (was, wie, warum, etc.).
- Use common question phrases to build your question around math vocabulary.
- Remember that wer is for the subject ("who does it?") and wen is for the object ("who is affected?")—but most math questions only need wer.
- You can now create simple math questions like "Wie viel ist …?", "Was ist …?", and "Wer hat …?" in German.
Flashcards (1 of 24)
- English Question Word: what
- Example English: What is \( 7 + 5 \)?
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
