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How to Say ‘What did you eat yesterday?’ in German

Was haben Sie gestern gegessen?

vas hah-ben zee GHEHS-tern geh-GESS-en

[vas hah-ben zee GHEHS-tern geh-GESS-en]

💬 Usage Tip: Time words like gestern slot in between Sie and the final gegessen, not at the end as in English.

Phrase Breakdown

Was haben Sie

vas hah-ben zee

What have you

This is a formal question opener. 'Was' is pronounced 'vahs'.

Example

Was haben Sie gemacht?

What have you done?

Words in this phrase

Was

[vas]

what

Question word asking about a thing.

Example

Was machst du?

What are you doing?

haben

[hah-ben]

have

To possess or hold something.

Example

Ich habe ein Buch.

I have a book.

Sie

[zee]

you

The formal 'you' used in polite professional conversations.

Example

Ich freue mich, Sie hier auf der Jobmesse zu sehen.

I am pleased to see you here at the job fair.

gestern gegessen?

GHEHS-tern geh-GESS-en

eaten yesterday?

'gestern' means 'yesterday' and is stressed on the first syllable: 'GES-tern'. 'gegessen' is stressed in the middle.

Example

Ich habe gestern Pizza gegessen.

I ate pizza yesterday.

Words in this phrase

gestern

[GHEHS-tern]

yesterday

A time word used to refer to the day before today.

Example

Gestern war die Karrieremesse sehr interessant.

Yesterday the career fair was very interesting.

gegessen

[geh-GESS-en]

eaten

Past participle of 'essen', to eat.

Example

Ich habe schon gegessen.

I have already eaten.

Guides for German learners

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