wie

/viː/
adverbinterrogativerelativeBeginner
formalinformal

How (used to ask about manner, method, or degree)

Wie geht es dir?

How are you?

Wie viel kostet das?

How much does it cost?

💡

Used in questions to inquire about manner, quantity, or degree.

formalinformal

As (used to compare or describe similarity)

Er ist so groß wie sein Vater.

He is as tall as his father.

Sie spricht wie ein Muttersprachler.

She speaks like a native speaker.

💡

Often used with 'so' to express comparison.

formalinformal

Like (used to introduce a relative clause)

Die Person, wie ich sie kenne, ist sehr freundlich.

The person, as I know them, is very friendly.

💡

Used in relative clauses to describe characteristics.

Collocations

wie immeras alwayswie möglichas possiblewie gewohntas usual

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

wie es scheintphrase
as it seems
wie gesagtphrase
as said

💡Pro Tip

Question Formation

In German, 'wie' is used to form questions about manner, quantity, or degree. It is always used in the beginning of the question.

Gold Rule

Comparison Structure

When comparing two things, use 'so ... wie' (as ... as) to express equality.

📖Word Origin

From Middle High German 'wie', from Old High German 'wī', from Proto-Germanic 'hwī'.

📝Usage Notes

In questions, 'wie' is often used with adjectives or adverbs to ask about manner or degree. In comparative constructions, it is used with 'so' to express similarity.

Word Breakdown

wie
how/as
root
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