German Phrase
Und was ist dann passiert?
Meaning
This phrase is used to inquire about the next event in a sequence, often when someone is telling a story or recounting past events. It expresses curiosity about the continuation of a narrative, implying that the speaker expects more information.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are listening to someone tell a story or describe a series of events, and you want to know what happened next. It's a natural way to prompt the speaker to continue their narrative.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Undwasistdannpassiert?
Und
'Und' means 'and'. It connects clauses or phrases, here linking the current question to the previous statement.
was
'Was' is an interrogative pronoun meaning 'what'. It's used to ask for information about things or events.
ist
'Ist' is the third-person singular form of the verb 'sein' (to be). It acts as the auxiliary verb for 'passieren' in the perfect tense.
dann
'Dann' means 'then' or 'after that'. It indicates a sequence of events in time.
passiert
'Passiert' is the past participle of the verb 'passieren' (to happen). It's used with 'sein' to form the perfect tense for events.
🗨In Conversation
Ich bin gestern im Wald spazieren gegangen und habe plötzlich ein seltsames Geräusch gehört.
Yesterday I went for a walk in the forest and suddenly heard a strange noise.
Oh, wirklich? Und was ist dann passiert?
Oh, really? And what happened then?
✕Common Mistakes
Und was ist dann geschehen?
While 'geschehen' also means 'to happen', 'passiert' is much more common and natural in everyday spoken German for 'what happened then?'.
Und was hat dann passiert?
The verb 'passieren' uses 'sein' (ist) as its auxiliary verb for forming the perfect tense, not 'haben' (hat), because it describes a change of state or an event.
↔Alternatives
Was geschah als Nächstes?
What happened next?
Erzähl weiter!
Keep telling!
Und dann?
And then?
Cultural Tip
Germans appreciate directness in communication, and this phrase is a straightforward way to express interest in a story. It's common in casual conversations among friends and family. When speaking with strangers or in more formal settings, ensure your tone is polite and genuinely curious, not demanding.