"Wer ist sie" translates to "Who is she" in English. This German question combines the interrogative pronoun "wer" (who) with the third-person singular feminine pronoun "sie" (she). The phrase follows standard German syntax rules for forming questions about identity.
German distinguishes between masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, which affects pronoun selection. "Sie" specifically refers to a female person or entity. The question structure remains consistent regardless of gender:
The verb "ist" (is) always the second element in the question structure, following the interrogative pronoun.
This question appears in various contexts:
Note that German requires capitalization of all nouns, including pronouns when they function as nouns (like "Sie" for "you" formal).
Learners often confuse:
| Question | Meaning | Example Context |
|---|---|---|
| Wer ist sie? | Who is she? | Identifying a female person |
| Was ist sie? | What is she? | Describing a female thing |
| Wie ist sie? | How is she? | Asking about condition |
Unlike English, German doesn't use "do" support for questions - the verb always appears in its conjugated form immediately after the interrogative pronoun.
Sie: "Ich bin Maria, die neue Kollegin."
Du: "Ah, wer ist sie?"
Sie: "Ich bin aus Spanien und arbeite jetzt im Marketing-Team."
This exchange shows how "Wer ist sie" naturally arises in introductions, with the question seeking clarification about the speaker's identity.
Unlike English, German doesn't use "who" for both subjects and objects. For object questions, Germans use "wen" (whom): "Wen sehen Sie?" (Whom do you see?). This distinction is important for proper sentence construction.