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German Phrase

Wo tut's dir genau weh?

/voː tuːt͡s diːɐ̯ ɡəˈnaʊ̯ ˈveː/
Meaning"Where exactly does it hurt?"
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Meaning

Literally, 'Where does it hurt you exactly?' It is the standard way in German to ask someone to pinpoint the exact spot of a pain, whether it’s a headache, a sore muscle, or any other discomfort.

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When to use

Use this sentence in medical contexts (doctor’s office, pharmacy), when a friend asks about your wellbeing, or whenever you need a precise description of someone’s pain. It’s polite yet direct, fitting both informal and semi‑formal conversations.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Wotut'sdirgenauweh?

1

Wo

Interrogative adverb meaning 'where', used to ask about location.

2

tut's

Contraction of 'tut es' – the 3rd‑person singular of 'tun' used idiomatically to mean 'hurts'.

3

dir

Dative pronoun referring to the person who feels the pain; the verb 'weh tun' always takes a dative object.

4

genau

Adverb meaning 'exactly' or 'precisely', placed before the verb phrase to sharpen the question.

5

weh

Noun used with 'tun' to express pain; the construction 'weh tun' is fixed.

🗨In Conversation

A

Wo tut's dir genau weh?

Where exactly does it hurt?

Mein Rücken tut mir genau weh, besonders im unteren Bereich.

My back hurts exactly, especially in the lower part.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Wo tut du dir genau weh?

    The verb 'weh tun' requires a dative object, not the nominative pronoun.

  • Wo tut dir genau weh?

    In spoken German the contraction 'tut's' is common; omitting the 'es' can sound overly formal.

  • Wo tut's dir weh genau?

    Placing 'genau' after 'weh' changes the emphasis and sounds unnatural.

↔Alternatives

  • Wo genau schmerzt es?

    Where exactly does it hurt?

  • An welcher Stelle tut es dir weh?

    At which spot does it hurt you?

  • Wo hast du Schmerzen?

    Where do you have pain?

de

Cultural Tip

German speakers tend to be straightforward about health issues. The dative pronoun 'dir' is mandatory with 'weh tun'; using the nominative 'du' (e.g., *'Wo tut du dir weh?') is a common error for learners. In a formal medical setting you might hear the more polite 'Wo genau haben Sie Schmerzen?' while among friends the contracted 'tut's' is perfectly natural.