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How to Say ‘What do you want?’ in German

Was wollen Sie?

vahs VOL-en zee

[vahs VOL-en zee]

💬 Usage Tip: wollen means "want", not "will". For the future, German uses werden instead.

Phrase Breakdown

Was

[vahs]

what

Question word used to ask for information about something.

Example

Was machen Sie beruflich?

What do you do professionally?

wollen

[VOL-en]

want (to); shall we

Form of 'wollen'; with 'wir' it makes a polite suggestion like 'shall we'.

Example

Wollen wir etwas trinken?

Shall we have something to drink?

Sie

[zee]

you (formal)

Polite form of address, appropriate for neighbors in formal situations.

Example

Schön, dass Sie da sind!

Nice that you are here!

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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