ich will wissen
The phrase "I want to know" is translated into German as ich will wissen.
In German, the verb wissen is used specifically for knowing information or facts, as opposed to kennen, which is used for being familiar with people, places or things.
Meaning: I want to know (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ich (I), will (want) and wissen (to know).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Swiss German dialect, the informal expression Ich wott wüsse. is used to express the same desire.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase ich will wissen, the modal verb will is conjugated for the first person singular, while the main verb wissen remains in its infinitive form and is placed at the end of the clause.
Did you know?
- The word wissen is a linguistic relative of the Latin videō, which means 'to see'. This reflects an ancient human tendency to link the act of seeing with the act of knowing.
- Using ich will can sound very demanding or aggressive to native speakers. To be more polite, Germans often use ich möchte wissen, which translates to 'I would like to know'.
Examples in context
- Ich will wissen, warum.I want to know why.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase ich will wissen when asking for a reason.Tatoeba #3010331 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2011420 by CK
- Ich will wissen, wie es ist.I want to know what it's like.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase ich will wissen when asking about a state of being.Tatoeba #9026225 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7874765 by Hybrid
- Ich will wissen, wer es war.I want to know who it was.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase ich will wissen when asking about an identity.Tatoeba #11779692 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9192524 by CK
- Natürlich, ich möchte wissen, ob der Zug um 15:30 Uhr oder um 16:00 Uhr abfährt.Certainly, I want to know if the train departs at 3:30 pm or at 4:00 pm.
- Nein, aber ich will es wissen. Lass uns nachsehen.No, but I want to know. Let's check.
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Sarah are discussing a secret project.
- FelixIch will wissen, was du planst.I want to know what you are planning.
- SarahDas ist noch ein Geheimnis, Felix.That is still a secret, Felix.
- FelixBitte sag es mir jetzt.Please tell me now.
- SarahIch sage es dir morgen.I will tell you tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I want to know” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ich, wissen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
