When to use welcher, welche, and welches in German

In German, welcher, welche, and welches all mean “which” in English, but their usage depends on the gender, number, and case of the noun they refer to. German nouns have three
grammatical genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter) and can be singular or plural. Here’s how you decide which one to use:

1. Gender and Case

• Welcher: Used for masculine nouns in the nominative or dative case.
• Welche: Used for feminine nouns in the nominative or accusative case, and for plural nouns in any case.
• Welches: Used for neuter nouns in the nominative or accusative case.

2. Examples

Nominative Case (Subject of the sentence):

• Masculine:
  Welcher Mann kommt heute?
  (Which man is coming today?)

• Feminine:
  Welche Frau ist deine Schwester?
  (Which woman is your sister?)

• Neuter:
  Welches Buch liest du?
  (Which book are you reading?)

• Plural:
  Welche Kinder spielen im Park?
  (Which children are playing in the park?)

Accusative Case (Direct object):

• Masculine:
  Welchen Hund siehst du?
  (Which dog do you see?)

• Feminine:
  Welche Tasche kaufst du?
  (Which bag are you buying?)

• Neuter:
  Welches Auto möchtest du?
  (Which car do you want?)

• Plural:
  Welche Blumen pflückst du?
  (Which flowers are you picking?)

Dative Case (Indirect object):

• Masculine:
  Mit welchem Mann gehst du?
  (With which man are you going?)

• Feminine:
  Mit welcher Frau sprichst du?
  (With which woman are you talking?)

• Neuter:
  Mit welchem Kind spielst du?
  (With which child are you playing?)

• Plural:
  Mit welchen Freunden reist du?
  (With which friends are you traveling?)

Quick Tip:

Always know the gender and case of the noun you’re referring to. If you’re unsure about the noun’s gender, consult a dictionary.

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