Interrogative and exclamatory adjectives in German

Definition of interrogative and exclamatory adjectives in German

The interrogative and exclamatory adjectives are used in combination with a noun, either to ask something specific about the noun, or to emphasize it.

There are two different constructions of it: 'welch' and 'was für'. These adjectives stand right before the noun.

For example:

• Welches T-Shirt findest du am schönsten? (Which t-shirt do you like the most?)
• Was für Hausaufgaben hast du bekommen? (What kind of homework did you get?)

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The adjective ‘welch-’

The special form of 'welch-' is very often used in the expression 'welch ein' (what a) and sometimes stand before attributive adjectives.

The adjective 'welch-' can be used as an interrogative or exclamatory adjective.

'Welch-' as an interrogative adjective

To use 'welch-' as an interrogative adjective, it needs to be declined in order to fit to noun. The interrogatives are often used to ask question and to get special information about the noun.

For example:

• Welcher Mantel gehört Paul? (Which coat is Pauls?)
• Welchen Kuchen wollen wir backen? (Which cake do we want to bake?)
• Welche CD hört Anna gerade? (Which CD is Anna listening to?)

Declension of interrogative adjective 'welch-'

'Welch' as an exclamatory adjective

By using an exclamatory adjective you don't need to decline anything. Just use the word stem on his own.

In the following table you can see two different ways to use sentences, while the right one uses the exclamatory 'welch'.

As you can see, the exclamatory sentences using the 'welch' construction are very short and emphasize the adjective even more.

The adjective 'was für (ein-)'

The interrogative adjective 'was für' is even more used than the construction of 'welch'. In the singular, the sentence is used with the indefinite article 'ein' that takes adjective endings, depending on the grammatical use of the noun in the sentence. In plural, the indefinite article 'ein' is omitted and the construction therefore is only 'was für'.

'Was für (ein-)' as an interrogative adjective

The construction is often use to ask questions about certain persons, objects or processes.

For example:

• Was für einen Kaffee hättest Du gerne? (What kind of coffee would you like to have?)

• Was für Autos fahrt ihr? (What kind of cars do you drive?)

Declension of interrogative adjective 'was für (ein-)'

Is it also possible to use this adjective to ask a question. To do so, the constructions have to take adjective endigs.

'Was für (ein-)' as an exclamatory adjective

Of course, the construction 'was für (ein-)' can also be used as an exclamatory adjective. This is used to emphasize the noun and its characteristics.

Keep in mind, that the indirect article 'ein' has to be declined in order to fit to the related noun. In plural cases the 'ein-' is omitted.

Difference between interrogative and exclamatory adjectives and pronouns

The difference between interrogative and exclamatory adjectives and pronouns is simple. The interrogative adjective is always used in combination with a noun and is emphasizing it or asking for something we don't know. The pronoun on the other side can stand alone.

In the second example, 'welche' is an interrogative adjective, because it refers to the noun 'Farbe'. In the other sentence 'was' is an interrogative pronoun, because it stands without a noun.

To get a deeper understanding of words used as interrogative pronouns, have a look at the chapter about it.