Question words for persons and things — wer?, was?, welcher?

📺 Instructional Video

An instructional video explaining this grammar topic with practical examples.

Learn how to ask about people, objects and specific attributes in everyday German.
Distinguish the three interrogative pronouns wer, was and welcher/welche/welches.
Practice forming correct questions and answering them.

Interrogative	Meaning	Typical use	Example question
wer?	who?	asks for a person or animate entity	Wer ist das? — Who is that?
was?	what?	asks for a thing, an idea, or an event	Was liegt auf dem Tisch? — What is on the table?
welcher? / welche? / welches?	which?	asks for a specific item among many; gender and number must match the noun	Welcher Weg führt zum Bahnhof? — Which way leads to the train station?
			Welche Blumen hast du gekauft? — Which flowers did you buy?
			Welches Auto ist rot? — Which car is red?

wer never changes with gender or number; it always refers to a person (or a person‑like entity).
was is used for objects, abstract concepts, or events.
welcher/‑e/‑es agrees with the noun it modifies:
masculine → welcher (e.g., Welcher Zug?)
feminine → welche (e.g., Welche Stadt?)
neuter → welches (e.g., Welches Buch?)
plural (any gender) → welche (e.g., Welche Bücher?)
When the noun is omitted but understood, the appropriate form is still used: Welcher? (masc.), Welche? (fem./pl.), Welches? (neut.).

📌 *This topic is not linked to specific lessons yet.*

✏️ Fill in the blank with the correct word: Write only one word in each field.

#	Question	Answer
1	___? ist dein Lehrer? (who)
2	___? liegt auf dem Boden? (what)
3	___? Zug fährt nach Berlin? (which masculine)
4	___? Bücher hast du gelesen? (which feminine, plural)
5	___? Auto ist rot? (which neuter)

✏️ Fill in the blank with the correct word: Write only one word in each field.

#	Question	Answer
1	___? hat den Ball? (who)
2	___? ist das Geräusch? (what)
3	___? Straße führt zum Park? (which feminine)