01
wir
we
First-person plural personal pronoun in the nominative. It refers to a group that includes the speaker.
example
Morgen fahren wir zu unseren Großeltern.
Tomorrow we are going to our grandparents.
wir
we
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 03
Usage tips
Subject and verb
When 'wir' (we) is the subject in a sentence, the conjugated verb almost always ends in '-en'. 'Wir' always refers to a group that includes the person speaking.
EXAMPLE
Wir lernen zusammen Deutsch.
We are learning German together.
The inclusive 'we'
In speeches or general statements, 'wir' (we) is often used to include a large group (e.g. the citizens of a country, humanity). It creates a sense of community and shared responsibility.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen mehr für den Klimaschutz tun.
We need to do more for climate protection.
The author's 'we'
In scientific and academic texts, a single author often uses 'wir' (we) instead of 'ich' (I). This sounds less personal and is meant to include the reader in the argument.
EXAMPLE
Wie wir im nächsten Abschnitt zeigen werden, ist diese Hypothese korrekt.
As we will show in the next section, this hypothesis is correct.
Compare with
wir vs ich
I
'ich' and 'wir' both refer to the person speaking, but not in the same way. 'ich' means only the person who is speaking. 'wir' means a group that the person speaking belongs to. This can be a small group, for example friends or family, or a larger group such as a class or society. Learners confuse the words when they do not pay close attention to whether only one person is speaking or whether other people are included too. Remember: 'ich' is one person; 'wir' is me plus at least one other person.
wir
Wir gehen nächste Woche zusammen zur Behörde.
We are going to the government office together next week.
ich
Ich habe morgen einen Termin beim Arzt.
I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
In real life
Loading video examples...