German Phrase
Was hast du heute an?
Meaning
Literally, 'What do you have on today?' It is the everyday way to ask someone what they are wearing at the moment.
When to use
Use this informal question when you want to comment on or inquire about a person's outfit, for example when meeting a friend, in a shop, or when planning a group activity.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Washastduheutean
Was (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask 'what' in a question; it stays at the beginning of the sentence.
hast (2nd person singular of haben)
Present tense of 'haben' used here as the auxiliary for the separable verb 'an‑haben'.
du (subject pronoun)
Informal 'you' in singular; placed after the verb in questions.
heute (adverb of time)
Means 'today' and can be placed anywhere in the clause, commonly after the subject.
an (separable prefix)
The prefix of the verb 'an‑haben' (to wear). In main clauses it moves to the end of the sentence.
🗨In Conversation
Was hast du heute an?
What are you wearing today?
Ich trage eine blaue Jeans und ein rotes T‑Shirt.
I'm wearing blue jeans and a red T‑shirt.
✕Common Mistakes
Was hast du heute?
Missing the separable prefix 'an' changes the meaning to 'What do you have today?'
Was trägst du heute an?
The verb 'tragen' does not take the separable prefix 'an' here; the correct order is 'Was trägst du heute?'
Was hast Sie heute an?
When using the formal 'Sie', the verb must be conjugated as 'haben' and the prefix stays at the end: 'Was haben Sie heute an?'
↔Alternatives
Was trägst du heute?
What are you wearing today?
Wie bist du heute gekleidet?
How are you dressed today?
Was hast du heute an? (formal: Was haben Sie heute an?)
What are you wearing today? (formal version)
Cultural Tip
The phrase is informal; use the formal version 'Was haben Sie heute an?' with strangers, elders, or in professional settings. Germans often comment on clothing as a friendly ice‑breaker, but avoid overly personal remarks about style unless you know the person well.