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Da- and wo- compounds

Da- and wo- compounds are pronouns that are connected with a preposition. We find their English equivalents in older English texts and in legal and official documents. English examples are thereby, thereafter, whereby, whereabouts. Many German prepositions can form such a compound. Examples:

  • wofür? (for what?)
  • wozu? (to what end?)
  • womit? (with what?)
  • dagegen (against that)
  • danach (thereafter)
  • daneben (besides that)

When two vowels meet, an r is inserted. Examples: worin (wherein)

  • worüber (about what? over what?)
  • darunter (under that)
  • darauf (on that)
werde + infinitive
  • Wofür interessieren Sie sich? (What are you interested in?)
  • Wozu brauchen wir das? (What do we need that for?)
  • Womit sollen wir anfangen. (What should we start with?)
  • Er ist dagegen. (He is against that.)
  • Hier steht der Schreibtisch, und der Computer steht darauf. (Here is the desk, and the computer is sitting on it.)

Da- and wo- compounds with dependent clauses

Da- and Wo- compounds can stand with extended infinitives, dependent clauses, and indirect questions. Example sentences:

  • Ich bin dafür, dieses Thema zu besprechen. (I am for [in favor of] discussing this topic.)
  • Ich bin dafür, dass wir dieses Thema besprechen. (I am for our discussing this topic.)
  • Es kommt darauf an, wie das Wetter wird. (It depends on what the weather's going to be like.)
  • Er sprach darüber, wie man sich in den Siebziger Jahren kleidete. (He talked about how people dressed in the Seventies.)
  • Ich weiß nicht, worüber er sonst noch gesprochen hat. (I don't know what else he talked about.)

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