wir
we
The German pronoun for 'we'. It refers to the speaker and at least one other person. It is used in all contexts, formal and informal.
Heard in real German videos
Lines where wir was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Jetzt sind wir Frösche.Now we are frogs.
- Haben wir irgendwas vergessen?Did we forget anything?
- Wir malen gerade Bilder.We are painting pictures right now.
Example sentences
- Wir gehen morgen ins Kino.We are going to the cinema tomorrow.
- Wir haben einen Hund.We have a dog.
- Kommst du mit uns?Are you coming with us?
Grammar
| Type | personal pronoun, 1st person plural |
|---|---|
| Case forms | wir (nominative), uns (accusative), uns (dative) |
| Possessive | unser (e.g. unser Haus) |
The verb form for 'wir' is the same as the infinitive stem plus -en, e.g. wir gehen, wir machen.
Common phrases
- wir beidethe two of us
- wir alleall of us
- unter unsbetween us
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers sometimes use 'uns' as the subject, e.g. 'Uns gehen' instead of 'Wir gehen'. Remember: 'wir' is for the subject, 'uns' for object.
Don’t confuse it with
- ihr — 'Ihr' means 'you' (plural, informal), while 'wir' means 'we'.
Questions learners ask
When do I use 'wir' vs. 'uns'?
Use 'wir' when it is the subject of the sentence (doing the action). Use 'uns' when it is the object (receiving the action) or after prepositions.
Is 'wir' formal or informal?
'Wir' is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal situations.
How do I conjugate verbs with 'wir'?
The verb ending for 'wir' is -en, which is the same as the infinitive form, e.g. wir spielen, wir kommen.