German Phrase
Wie ist das WLAN-Passwort?
Meaning
This sentence asks for the Wi‑Fi password. It’s a practical request you’ll use in hotels, cafés, coworking spaces, or any place offering wireless internet.
When to use
Use it whenever you need to connect a device to a local Wi‑Fi network and the password isn’t displayed. It’s polite and direct, suitable for both informal and semi‑formal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WieistdasWLAN-Passwort?
Wie (interrogative adverb)
‘Wie’ asks for a description or manner, here it means ‘what’ in the sense of ‘what is…’.
sein (verb ‘to be’)
‘ist’ is the 3rd person singular present of ‘sein’, used for asking about a state or identity.
das (definite article)
‘das’ is the neuter nominative article matching the neuter noun ‘WLAN‑Passwort’.
WLAN‑Passwort (compound noun)
A compound noun formed from the abbreviation ‘WLAN’ (pronounced ‘veːlaːn’) and ‘Passwort’; the whole phrase is neuter.
Question mark placement
In German, the question mark follows the entire sentence, not each component.
🗨In Conversation
Wie ist das WLAN-Passwort?
What is the Wi‑Fi password?
Es lautet „café2024“.
It is ‘café2024’.
✕Common Mistakes
Wo ist das WLAN-Passwort?
‘Wo’ asks for a location, not for the password itself.
Ist das WLAN-Passwort?
Putting the verb after the subject turns it into a statement, not a question.
Wie ist das WLAN Passwort?
The compound should be hyphenated and the abbreviation pronounced ‘veːlaːn’.
↔Alternatives
Können Sie mir das WLAN-Passwort geben?
Could you give me the Wi‑Fi password?
Wie lautet das WLAN-Passwort?
What is the Wi‑Fi password?
Was ist das Passwort für das WLAN?
What is the password for the Wi‑Fi?
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries it’s common to preface the request with a polite opener such as ‘Entschuldigung’ or ‘Bitte’. Often the password is posted on a card or on the wall, so a quick glance might save you from asking. When you receive the password, repeat it back (‘Ist das richtig, …?’) to confirm you heard it correctly.