German · A1 · Everyday language
Little Wonder Moments in German
Use these gentle German questions to turn small playtime moments into conversations. Use du, the familiar form of “you,” when speaking to your child.
What you'll learn
- Ask simple questions with wer, was, wo, wann, warum and wie.
- Put the verb directly after the question word.
- Use familiar words for toys, drinks and daily routines.
German phrases for little wonder moments
Wer ist hier?
Who is here?
Wer means “who.” Use this when someone arrives or appears during play.
Wer hat deinen Teddy?
Who has your teddy?
Hat means “has.” Teddy is masculine, so “your teddy” becomes deinen Teddy as the object of hat.
Was ist das?
What is that?
A useful question when pointing to a toy or a new object.
Was ist in deinem Becher?
What is in your cup?
Becher means a cup or beaker, usually without a handle. In deinem Becher describes where something is.
Wo ist dein Ball?
Where is your ball?
Wo asks about location. Try this while looking for a toy together.
Wann machst du deinen Mittagsschlaf?
When is your nap?
A natural way to ask when your child takes their daytime nap. Mittagsschlaf machen means “to take a nap.”
Warum weinst du?
Why are you crying?
Weinst du means “are you crying.” Use a soft, caring tone.
Wie geht es dir heute?
How are you today?
Wie geht es dir? is the usual way to ask “How are you?” Heute means “today.”
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
der Teddy
the teddy bear
A common, child-friendly word for a teddy bear.
der Becher
the cup; the beaker
Usually a drinking vessel without a handle. A cup with a handle is often called die Tasse.
der Ball
the ball
German nouns always start with a capital letter.
der Mittagsschlaf
the daytime nap
Usually a midday or afternoon nap.
weinen
to cry
With du, use weinst: du weinst means “you are crying.”
hier
here
Use hier for something or someone nearby.
heute
today
Use it to ask about this particular day.
Six useful question words
These question words ask for information, not just a yes or no answer.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who: a person | wer | Wer ist hier? |
| What: a thing | was | Was ist das? |
| Where: a location | wo | Wo ist dein Ball? |
| When: a time | wann | Wann machst du deinen Mittagsschlaf? |
| Why: a reason | warum | Warum weinst du? |
| How: a manner or condition | wie | Wie geht es dir heute? |
Building a simple question
In these questions, the verb comes directly after the question word. German does not add “do” or “does.” It also uses the simple present for actions happening now.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Question word + verb + subject | Wo + ist + dein Ball? | Wo ist dein Ball? |
| An action happening now | Warum + weinst + du? | Warum weinst du? = Why are you crying? |
| Who as the subject | Wer + hat + object? | Wer hat deinen Teddy? |
Small changes to “your”
Dein means “your” when speaking to one familiar person. Its ending changes with the noun's role. All the nouns shown here are masculine.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject: the thing being located | dein + masculine noun | Wo ist dein Ball? |
| Direct object: the thing someone has | deinen + masculine noun | Wer hat deinen Teddy? |
| Location after in | in deinem + masculine noun | Was ist in deinem Becher? |
More examples
Wer ist hier? – Papa ist hier!
Who is here? – Daddy is here!
Try this when a family member joins your play.
Was ist in deinem Becher? – Wasser.
What is in your cup? – Water.
A one-word answer is a useful start.
Wo ist dein Ball? – Hier!
Where is your ball? – Here!
Your child can point while answering.
Wie geht es dir heute? – Gut!
How are you today? – Good!
Gut is a simple, natural short answer.