German Phrase
Wer ist dran?
Meaning
Literally ‘Who is next?’, this question is used to find out which person’s turn it is in a game, a queue, or any situation where people take turns. It’s a quick way to keep the flow moving.
When to use
Use it when you’re waiting for your turn in board games, card games, classroom activities, or even in a line at the coffee shop. It’s informal, so it fits casual conversation among friends or peers.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Weristdran
Wer (interrogative pronoun)
‘Wer’ asks about a person’s identity. It functions like ‘who’ in English and always appears at the start of a question.
ist (sein, 3rd person singular)
‘ist’ is the present‑tense form of the verb ‘sein’ (to be). In questions it stays in the same position as in statements.
dran (colloquial adverb)
‘dran’ is a short form of ‘daran’ and means ‘next / up’. It is informal and common in spoken German when asking about turn order.
🗨In Conversation
Wer ist dran?
Who’s next?
Ich bin dran.
It’s me.
✕Common Mistakes
Wer ist dran?
Learners sometimes translate ‘dran’ as a location (like ‘on it’) and use it for objects. It only works for people or turn‑based contexts.
↔Alternatives
Wer kommt als Nächstes?
Who comes next?
Wer ist als Nächstes dran?
Who is next?
Wer ist an der Reihe?
Who is in line / Who is up?
Cultural Tip
‘dran’ is very colloquial and typical in everyday spoken German. In more formal settings (e.g., a business meeting) you would use ‘Wer ist an der Reihe?’ or ‘Wer ist als Nächstes dran?’. Also, note that the phrase is neutral regarding gender – it works for any person.