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German Phrase

Hey, wer ist das?

/haɪ̯, veːɐ̯ ɪst das/
Meaning"Hey, who is that?"
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Meaning

A friendly, informal way to ask “Hey, who is that?” when you see someone you don’t know. The speaker is usually pointing to a person nearby or referring to someone just mentioned.

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When to use

Use it in casual settings—at a party, in a café, or when meeting friends of friends. It’s too informal for business meetings or with strangers you should address politely (e.g., “Entschuldigung, wer ist das?”).

✦Grammar Breakdown

Hey,weristdas?

1

Hey (interjection)

A casual, informal greeting similar to “hey” or “hi” in English. It sets a friendly tone.

2

wer (interrogative pronoun)

Used to ask about a person’s identity. It translates to “who”.

3

ist (verb ‘sein’)

Third‑person singular present of “to be”. In questions it follows the interrogative pronoun directly.

4

das (demonstrative pronoun)

Refers to a specific person or thing that is near the speaker or already known in the conversation; here it means “that”.

5

Word order in yes/no and wh‑questions

German places the verb directly after the interrogative word (wer ist …), unlike English where the subject often comes first.

🗨In Conversation

A

Hey, wer ist das?

Hey, who is that?

Das ist meine Kollegin Anna.

That’s my colleague Anna.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Hey, was ist das?

    “Was” asks about things, not people. Use “wer” when you want to know a person’s identity.

  • Hey, das ist wer?

    The verb must follow the interrogative word; “wer ist das” is correct, not “das ist wer”.

  • Hey wer ist das?

    A comma (or a short pause) after “Hey” makes the greeting clear and separates it from the question.

↔Alternatives

  • Hey, wer ist das denn?

    Hey, who is that, then?

  • Hey, wer ist das hier?

    Hey, who is this (person) here?

  • Entschuldigung, wer ist das?

    Excuse me, who is that?

de

Cultural Tip

In German, “Hey” signals a relaxed, peer‑to‑peer relationship. If you’re unsure about the level of familiarity, replace it with “Entschuldigung” or “Entschuldigen Sie” for a more polite approach. Also, German speakers often use “das” for people when the gender isn’t known yet, but in formal contexts you might hear “die Person” instead.