German Phrase
Was fehlt uns?
Meaning
Literally ‘What is missing to us?’, the sentence asks what thing or element is lacking for the speaker and the listener. It can refer to physical items, information, skills, or even abstract needs.
When to use
Use this question when you’re checking a checklist, planning a trip, cooking together, or trying to identify a gap in a project. It’s a polite, neutral way to ask the group what still needs to be added.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wasfehltuns
Was (interrogative pronoun)
‘Was’ introduces a yes‑no or information question and stands for ‘what’ in English.
fehlt (verb fehlen, 3rd person singular)
‘fehlen’ means ‘to be missing / to lack’. In the present tense it conjugates as ‘ich fehle, du fehlst, er/sie/es fehlt…’
uns (dative pronoun)
‘fehlen’ takes a dative object for the person who experiences the lack, so ‘uns’ = ‘to us’.
🗨In Conversation
Was fehlt uns noch für das Picknick?
What are we still missing for the picnic?
Wir brauchen noch eine Decke und ein paar Getränke.
We still need a blanket and some drinks.
✕Common Mistakes
Was ist uns?
‘ist’ means ‘is’; the correct verb for ‘to be missing’ is ‘fehlen’
Was fehlt wir?
‘fehlen’ requires the dative case; using the accusative ‘uns’ is still correct because ‘uns’ is both nominative and accusative, but learners often forget the dative function.
Fehlt uns was?
Word order in a direct question places the interrogative pronoun first: ‘Was fehlt uns?’
↔Alternatives
Was fehlt uns noch?
What else are we missing?
Was fehlt dir?
What are you missing?
Was fehlt hier?
What is missing here?
Cultural Tip
In German, the verb ‘fehlen’ always takes a dative object for the person who experiences the lack (uns, dir, mir, etc.). Native speakers often use this construction in everyday life – from checking grocery lists to asking a colleague what information is still needed. Avoid translating word‑for‑word from English; ‘What is missing us?’ would be ungrammatical.