Was ist das?
The English phrase "what is this?" is translated into German as Was ist das?
This phrase is a question used to ask for the identity of an object. In informal situations, you can also use Was ist das hier? to specifically draw attention to an object.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to "What is that?" However, in German, the word das is used to mean both "this" and "that" when you are identifying objects.
How does it change in a sentence?
A notable difference from English is that Was ist das? does not change based on number. While English changes the phrase to "What are these?" for multiple objects, the German phrase remains Was ist das? whether you are asking about one object or many.
Did you know?
- While Was ist das? asks for an identity, Germans often use the phrase Was ist das denn? to express surprise or annoyance.
- If a German speaker is extremely confused by an object, they might say Was soll das?, which translates to 'What is this supposed to be?'
- The word das is a 'doublet' of the word dass, meaning they share the same origin but are spelled differently to serve completely different grammatical functions.
Examples in context
- Entschuldigen Sie, was ist das hier? / Das ist ein Buch.Excuse me, what is this here? / That is a book.
- He, was ist das? / Das ist ein Kugelschreiber.Hey, what is this? / That is a pen.
- Was ist das für ein Buch?What kind of book is this?
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are looking at a strange object on a table.
- SarahWas ist das?What is this?
- LukasDas ist ein neues Geschenk für dich.That is a new gift for you.
- SarahOh, das ist sehr nett von dir!Oh, that is very kind of you!
- LukasIch hoffe, es gefällt dir.I hope you like it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries das, was, CC BY-SA 4.0.
