German Phrase
Wer kümmert sich darum?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the person who is responsible for handling a particular matter. It can be translated as 'Who takes care of that?' or 'Who looks after it?'. The use of 'darum' makes the question concise and idiomatic.
When to use
Use this question when you need to know who is in charge of a task, a problem, or an object that has already been mentioned. It works in both formal and informal settings, from the office to everyday home conversations.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Werkümmertsichdarum?
Wer (who)
Interrogative pronoun used to ask about a person; it does not change with case.
kümmert sich (reflexive verb)
The verb 'kümmern' is used reflexively with 'sich' to mean 'to take care of' or 'to look after'. In the present tense, 3rd person singular adds -t.
darum (pronominal adverb)
A contraction of 'da' + 'um' that replaces the prepositional phrase 'um das' and points back to something already mentioned.
🗨In Conversation
Wer kümmert sich darum?
Who is taking care of that?
Ich kümmere mich darum.
I'll take care of it.
✕Common Mistakes
Wer kümmert das?
The verb 'kümmern' requires the reflexive pronoun 'sich'.
Wer kümmert sich für das?
The correct preposition with 'kümmern' is 'um', not 'für'.
Wer kümmert sich um das?
While grammatically correct, native speakers usually replace 'um das' with the adverb 'darum' for brevity.
↔Alternatives
Wer ist dafür verantwortlich?
Who is responsible for it?
Wer übernimmt das?
Who will take that on?
Wer kümmert sich um das?
Who looks after that?
Cultural Tip
German speakers tend to be direct when assigning responsibility, so using 'Wer kümmert sich darum?' is perfectly polite in most contexts. In more formal situations you might add a title or use the formal 'Sie' form: 'Wer kümmert sich darum, Herr Müller?'. Remember that 'darum' replaces 'um das' and is preferred in spoken German because it sounds smoother.