German Phrase
Wer spielt heute Abend?
Meaning
A direct question asking which person or group will be playing (music, a sport, a game, etc.) tonight. The sentence is neutral and can be used in casual or semi‑formal settings.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to find out the performer or team for an event that takes place later the same day, such as a concert, a football match, or a board‑game night.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WerspieltheuteAbend?
Wer (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask about a person; it replaces the subject in a question.
spielt (3rd person singular, present)
Conjugation of the verb spielen for he/she/it; note the -t ending.
Verb‑second (V2) word order
In German main clauses the finite verb is in second position; the question word occupies the first slot.
heute (adverb of time)
Means “today”; placed before the time noun “Abend”.
Abend (noun, masculine)
Means “evening”. Nouns are capitalised in German; no article is needed in this short question.
🗨In Conversation
Wer spielt heute Abend?
Who is playing tonight?
Die Band „Sonnenschein“ spielt heute Abend im Club „Klangwerk“.
The band “Sonnenschein” is playing tonight at the club “Klangwerk”.
✕Common Mistakes
Wer ist spielt heute Abend?
Avoid using two verbs; German questions need only one finite verb.
Wer spielt heute abend?
Nouns must be capitalised; write Abend with a capital A.
Wer spieltet heute Abend?
The correct 3rd‑person singular present form is spielt, not spieltet.
↔Alternatives
Wer tritt heute Abend auf?
Who is performing tonight?
Wer ist heute Abend am Spielen?
Who is playing tonight?
Welche Band spielt heute Abend?
Which band is playing tonight?
Cultural Tip
In German, spielen covers both music and sport, so the context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended. If you’re talking about a concert, you can also say „Wer tritt heute Abend auf?“. When referring to a sports match, Germans often use „Wer spielt heute Abend?" together with the sport name, e.g., „Wer spielt heute Abend Fußball?". Remember to capitalise nouns like Abend and to keep the verb in the second position even in questions.