German Phrase
Welche Fächer hast du?
Meaning
Literally ‘Which subjects do you have?’, this question asks someone which school subjects they are currently studying or taking. It can also be used more loosely to ask about areas of expertise or interest.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to learn about a classmate’s timetable, discuss study plans, or compare academic interests. It is informal, so reserve it for friends, peers, or anyone you address with ‘du’. For teachers or strangers use the formal version: ‘Welche Fächer haben Sie?’
✦Grammar Breakdown
WelcheFächerhastdu?
Welche (interrogative determiner)
‘Welche’ is used to ask about a specific item(s) from a known set and must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies; here it is nominative plural.
Fächer (plural noun)
‘Fächer’ is the plural of ‘das Fach’ (subject). In the nominative case it stays unchanged; note the umlaut ‘ä’ and the ‘-er’ ending.
hast (2nd person singular of haben)
‘hast’ is the present tense form of ‘haben’ for ‘du’. It is used here as the main verb in a yes‑no or wh‑question.
du (personal pronoun)
‘du’ is the informal singular ‘you’. In questions the pronoun follows the verb (verb‑second order).
Verb‑second (V2) word order
German main clauses place the finite verb in second position; the interrogative ‘Welche’ occupies the first slot, pushing the verb to second.
🗨In Conversation
Welche Fächer hast du?
Which subjects do you have?
Ich habe Mathe, Englisch und Geschichte.
I have math, English, and history.
✕Common Mistakes
Was Fächer hast du?
‘Was’ asks for a thing, not a selection from a known set; ‘Welche’ is needed for ‘which’.
Welche Fächer haben du?
The verb must agree with ‘du’; use ‘hast’, not the infinitive ‘haben’.
Welche Fächer du hast?
In a question the verb must stay in second position; ‘du hast’ would invert the order.
↔Alternatives
Was für Fächer belegst du?
What subjects are you taking?
Welche Schulfächer lernst du?
Which school subjects are you learning?
Welche Fächer studierst du?
Which subjects are you studying?
Cultural Tip
In Germany the word ‘Fach’ refers to a school subject, but the range of subjects varies by school type (Gymnasium, Realschule, Hauptschule). When you ask a teacher, use the formal ‘Sie’: ‘Welche Fächer haben Sie?’. Also, Germans often differentiate between ‘Leistungskurse’ (advanced subjects) and ‘Grundkurse’ (basic subjects) in upper secondary school, so you might hear follow‑up questions like ‘Welche Leistungskurse hast du?’