Breakdown of Wie ist Ihr Familienname?
sein
to be
wie
how
Ihr
your (formal)
der Familienname
the surname, the family name
Questions & Answers about Wie ist Ihr Familienname?
Why does the sentence use Wie instead of Was to ask 'What'?
In German, when asking for someone's name, age, address, or phone number, you use wie (literally 'how') rather than was (what). This is a set pattern you just have to memorize for asking about these specific personal details!
Why is Ihr capitalized here?
Capitalizing Ihr makes it the formal 'your', matching the formal 'you' (Sie). If it were lowercase ihr, it would mean 'her' or 'their'. You use this capitalized form to show respect to an adult you do not know well.
Why does Ihr not have an ending like Ihren or Ihre?
The word Familienname is a masculine noun (der Familienname), and the sentence uses the verb ist (is). The verb sein (to be) connects two things in the nominative (basic) case. For masculine nouns in the nominative case, possessive words like Ihr take no extra endings.
Is there another common word for Familienname?
Yes, you will very often hear Nachname (literally 'after-name'). Both Familienname and Nachname mean last name or surname, and you can use them interchangeably.
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