German for Beginners: Ask Open-Ended Personal Questions About Address, Age, Job, and Profession
Learn to ask open-ended personal questions in German: where someone lives, their age, and what they do for work. Get patterns, register tips, and a dialogue.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
To start a conversation in German, open-ended questions work better than yes/no questions because they invite the other person to share. This lesson teaches you to ask about address, age, job, and profession using three core patterns: Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?), Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?), and Was machst du beruflich? (What do you do for a living?). You will also learn the formal Sie forms for speaking with strangers or staff. The goal is to ask naturally and politely, and to understand the difference between asking for a street address and asking where someone lives.
By the end, you can…
- ask someone where they live and for their address using wohnen and the correct question word.
- ask someone's age politely with wie alt and choose between du and Sie.
- ask about someone's job or profession using was machst du beruflich and was sind Sie von Beruf.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Wo wohnst du?
Where do you live?
voh vohnst doo
Informal singular, used with friends, family, and peers. Open-ended: the answer can be a city, neighborhood, or street.
Wie ist deine Adresse?
What is your address?
vee ist DY-ne ah-DRES-uh
Informal singular. Asks specifically for the street and number. Use when you need to send something or meet up.
Wie alt bist du?
How old are you?
vee alt bist doo
Informal singular. Common among friends and younger people. Among adults, especially strangers, the formal Sie version is often preferred.
Was machst du beruflich?
What do you do for a living?
vas makhst doo buh-ROO-flikh
Informal singular. The most natural open-ended way to ask about someone's job or profession. The answer can be a job title or a description.
Was sind Sie von Beruf?
What is your profession?
vas zint zee fon buh-ROOF
Formal, used with strangers, older people, or in professional contexts. Literally 'What are you by profession?'
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
German open-ended questions start with a question word: wo (where), wie (how), was (what). The verb comes second, then the subject. For example: Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?), Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?), Was machst du beruflich? (What do you do for a living?). To ask for a specific address, use Wie ist deine Adresse? (What is your address?). For formal situations, replace du with Sie and adjust the verb: Wo wohnen Sie? Wie alt sind Sie? Was machen Sie beruflich? Note that in German, Wie alt bist du? is direct but not rude among peers; with strangers, use the formal version or soften with a phrase like Darf ich fragen, wie alt Sie sind? (May I ask how old you are?).
When to use it
Use du forms with friends, family, classmates, and people your age in casual settings. Use Sie forms with strangers, older people, officials, and in professional contexts. Asking for an address is personal; in casual conversation, Wo wohnst du? is enough. If you need the exact street and number, ask Wie ist deine Adresse? or the formal Wie ist Ihre Adresse? Asking age can be sensitive; with adults you do not know well, prefer the formal Wie alt sind Sie? or avoid the question unless relevant. Asking about work is common and safe: Was machst du beruflich? is open-ended and invites a description, while Was sind Sie von Beruf? is more formal and expects a job title. For staff in a shop or office, use Sie: Was machen Sie beruflich? is fine if you are getting to know someone, but do not ask staff personal questions unless the conversation naturally allows it.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hallo! Wo wohnst du?
Hello! Where do you live?hah-LOH voh vohnst dooIch wohne in Berlin, in Kreuzberg. Und du?
I live in Berlin, in Kreuzberg. And you?ikh VOH-nuh in ber-LEEN in KROYTS-berk oont dooIch wohne in Hamburg. Was machst du beruflich?
I live in Hamburg. What do you do for a living?ikh VOH-nuh in HAM-boork vas makhst doo buh-ROO-flikhIch bin Lehrerin. Und wie alt bist du, wenn ich fragen darf?
I am a teacher. And how old are you, if I may ask?ikh bin LAY-reh-rin oont vee alt bist doo ven ikh FRAH-gn darfA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, du is for friends, family, and peers; Sie is for strangers, older people, and formal contexts. Asking age directly with Wie alt bist du? is normal among younger people, but with adults you do not know well, use the formal Wie alt sind Sie? or soften it with Darf ich fragen, wie alt Sie sind? Asking for an address is personal; in casual conversation, Wo wohnst du? is usually enough. If you need the exact address, ask clearly. Regional variation exists in greetings and small talk, but the du/Sie distinction is consistent across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
One thing to watch for
Using the English word order 'Wo du wohnst?' or 'Wie alt du bist?'
Try this instead: In German questions, the verb comes before the subject: Wo wohnst du? and Wie alt bist du? For formal: Wo wohnen Sie? Wie alt sind Sie?
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask a friend where they live?
Show a sample answer
Wo wohnst du?
This uses the informal du form and the verb wohnen. For formal, you can say Wo wohnen Sie? Both are correct depending on the relationship.
2How do you ask a stranger's age politely in German?
Show a sample answer
Wie alt sind Sie?
This uses the formal Sie form. Among friends, Wie alt bist du? is also correct. Adding Darf ich fragen? makes it even more polite.
3How do you ask someone about their job in an open-ended way?
Show a sample answer
Was machst du beruflich?
This is the informal open-ended question. For formal, use Was machen Sie beruflich? or Was sind Sie von Beruf? All are valid; the choice depends on register.
Use wo, wie, and was to start open-ended questions. Choose du for friends and Sie for strangers. Ask about address with Wo wohnst du? or Wie ist deine Adresse?, age with Wie alt bist du? or Wie alt sind Sie?, and job with Was machst du beruflich? or Was sind Sie von Beruf?
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