German · Question Words

Wer?

Who?

Beginnerpronoun

Definition

Used to ask about a person.

Example

Wer hat angerufen?

Who called?

Etymology

'Wer' comes from the Old High German 'wer', a word rooted in the Proto-Germanic '*wera', meaning 'who'. This interrogative pronoun has maintained its core meaning throughout its linguistic history.

How & Where It’s Used

'Wer?' is widely used in informal spoken German and written texts. It is used across all German-speaking regions and is a fundamental question word in everyday conversations.

Watch “Who?” pronunciation on YouTube
questioninterrogative

Related Terms