Wer vs. wo: “Who” and “where” in German

False friends are words that look or sound similar in two languages but differ in meaning.

The German question words wer and wo can trip up English speakers: wer means “who,” and wo means “where.” Wer may remind you of English “where,” but the pronunciation is different. In both German words, w sounds like the v in “very”; wo has a long o, not the “oo” sound in “who.” Here are two examples:

“Wer ist Angela Merkel?” - “Who is Angela Merkel?”“Wo ist das Brandenburger Tor?” - “Where is the Brandenburg Gate?”Context can help, but the question word still matters: Wo ist Brad Pitt? asks where Brad Pitt is; Wer ist Brad Pitt? asks who he is. Wer also changes with the case: wen (who/whom, accusative), wem (who/whom, dative) and wessen (whose, genitive). For example, Mit wem sprichst du? means “Who are you talking to?” For places, woher asks “where from,” and wohin asks “where to.”

Practice makes perfect!

A good way to practice: on your next walk through the city or while reading the news, ask yourself “Wer ist das?” whenever you see a person, and “Wo ist …?” whenever you’re looking for something - Wo ist mein Handy? Wo ist der Bahnhof?