wer weiß?
/veːr vaɪ̯s/word by word
In German, "who knows" is expressed as wer weiß?
The phrase is used as a rhetorical question to express uncertainty or to suggest that the future is unpredictable, much like its English counterpart.
Meaning: rhetorical question: one doesn't know (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of "who knows?", using the interrogative pronoun wer (who) and the third-person singular form of the verb wissen (to know).
Which one should you use?
While wer weiß? is the standard form, Wer weiß das schon? and Wer kann das sagen? are informal variations used in casual conversation. For a more eloquent or literary effect, one might use Das vermag niemand zu sagen.
How do you pronounce it?
/veːr vaɪ̯s/
Did you know?
- The verb weiß in wer weiß? shares a root with the German word for the color 'white', weiß. Both come from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'bright' or 'shine', linking the idea of knowledge to light.
- Adding the word schon to the variation Wer weiß das schon? functions as a modal particle that adds a layer of skepticism or resignation to the uncertainty.
- The formal alternative Das vermag niemand zu sagen uses vermögen, a verb that implies a lack of inherent human capacity rather than a simple lack of information.
Examples in context
- Wer weiß?Who knows?This sentence shows the use of wer weiß? as a standalone rhetorical question.Tatoeba #411759 by jerom, translation #276369 by CK
- Wann wird die Lieferung eintreffen? – Keine Ahnung!When will the delivery arrive? – No idea!
- Wird es dieses Wochenende schneien? – Wer weiß das schon?Will it snow this weekend? – Who knows?
- Wo werden wir den nächsten Sommerurlaub verbringen? – Wer kann das sagen?Where will we spend the next summer vacation? – Who can say that?
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are talking about their future plans.
- MaximilianWann werden wir uns wiedersehen?When will we see each other again?
- HannahDas ist schwer zu sagen, wer weiß?That is hard to say, who knows?
- MaximilianHoffentlich bald, Hannah.Hopefully soon, Hannah.
- HannahIch hoffe es auch, Maximilian.I hope so too, Maximilian.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “who knows” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (wer, weiß) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries weiß, wer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
