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How to Say ‘What does Emma like to play?’ in German

Was spielt Emma gern?

vahs shpeelt EM-mah gehrn

[vahs shpeelt EM-mah gehrn]

💬 Usage Tip: To say you like doing something, add gern after the verb: spielen "to play" becomes gern spielen "to like playing." Similarly, Ich lese gern means "I like reading."

Phrase Breakdown

Was spielt

vahs shpeelt

What does ... play

'Was' sounds like 'vas'. The 'sp' in 'spielt' sounds like 'shp'.

Example

Was spielt ihr?

What are you playing?

Words in this phrase

Was

[vahs]

what

Used to ask for information or a choice.

Example

Was möchtest du trinken?

What would you like to drink?

spielt

[shpeelt]

plays

Third-person singular form of the verb 'spielen' (to play).

Example

Das Kind spielt im Garten.

The child plays in the garden.

Emma gern?

EM-mah gehrn

Emma like to (play)?

'Gern' after a verb means 'likes to do'.

Example

Emma tanzt gern.

Emma likes to dance.

Words in this phrase

Emma

[EM-mah]

Emma (a girl's name)

A common German female first name, here the child's name.

Example

Emma ist drei Jahre alt.

Emma is three years old.

gern

[gehrn]

like to (do), enjoy

Used after a verb to say someone likes doing something; 'gern spielen' means to like playing.

Example

Sie malt gern mit Farben.

She likes painting with colors.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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