English–German

“what for” in German

German

Alsowofür

Pronunciation

IPA/voˈtsuː/

Example

Sag mir, wozu du das brauchst.

Tell me what you need that for.

Illustration for wozu (what for)

How to say “what for” in German

“What for” in German is wozu.

A person examining a tool and asking what task it is meant to serve.

Full entry for wozu: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with wozu

Man muss sich fragen, wozu diese Regel dient.

One must ask oneself what purpose this rule serves.

Tips for using wozu

  • Wozu is written as one word and remains lowercase as an adverb except at the beginning of a sentence.

Other German words for “what for”

Wofür ist das Geld?

What is the money for?

“what for” in other languages