Wo sind deine Hände?
The English phrase "where are your hands?" is translated into German as Wo sind deine Hände?
Wo sind deine Hände? is an informal way to ask where someone's hands are.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down as follows: Wo means "where", sind is the plural form of "to be", deine is the possessive pronoun "your" and Hände is the plural of "hand".
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are speaking to an adult you do not know or in a formal setting, you should use the formal possessive Ihre instead of deine.
Did you know?
- If someone answers this question by saying they are auf Händen getragen, it means they are being treated with extreme care and admiration, not literally carried.
- In Old High German, the word wo was actually the dative case of the word 'was'.
- While Hände means 'hands', German has the specific word Handgelenk to describe the 'wrist', which literally translates to 'hand link'.
Examples in context
- Schau mich an und sag: Wo sind deine Hände?Look at me and say: Where are your hands?
Example conversation
Maximilian is playing hide and seek with Julia.
- MaximilianIch habe dich fast gefunden!I almost found you!
- JuliaDu kannst mich nicht sehen.You cannot see me.
- MaximilianWo sind deine Hände?Where are your hands?
- JuliaSie sind hinter meinem Rücken.They are behind my back.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sind, wo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
