German Phrase
Welche Kurse gibt's?
Meaning
This informal question asks about the courses that are available or being offered. It is equivalent to ‘Which courses are there?’ or ‘What courses are available?’ in English.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, classmates, or colleagues when you want to find out what courses are on offer – for example at a university, a language school, or a community center. Avoid it in formal emails or official documents.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WelcheKursegibt's
Welche (interrogative determiner)
‘Welche’ is the feminine/plural form of ‘welcher’, used to ask about a specific set of items; it agrees with the plural noun ‘Kurse’.
Kurse (plural noun)
‘Kurse’ is the plural of ‘der Kurs’ (course). In questions the noun stays in the nominative case.
gibt's (colloquial contraction)
‘gibt's’ is the spoken contraction of ‘gibt es’, an impersonal construction meaning ‘there is/are’. It is informal and common in everyday speech.
Verb placement in yes‑no questions
In German questions the finite verb (here ‘gibt’) moves to the first position; the contraction keeps this order intact.
🗨In Conversation
Welche Kurse gibt's dieses Semester?
Which courses are there this semester?
Es gibt Deutsch, Spanisch und einen Fotografie‑Workshop.
There are German, Spanish, and a photography workshop.
✕Common Mistakes
Welche Kurse gibt?
Leaving out the ‘es’ changes the meaning; ‘gibt’ alone needs an object (e.g., ‘Er gibt das Buch’). Use ‘gibt es’ or its contraction ‘gibt's’.
Welcher Kurse gibt's?
‘Welcher’ is masculine singular; with the plural noun ‘Kurse’ you must use ‘Welche’.
Welche Kurse gibt's? (in a formal email)
In formal writing the contraction is inappropriate; use the full form ‘gibt es’.
↔Alternatives
Welche Kurse gibt es?
Which courses are there?
Was für Kurse gibt es?
What kind of courses are there?
Welche Kurse werden angeboten?
Which courses are offered?
Welche Kurse stehen zur Verfügung?
Which courses are available?
Cultural Tip
‘gibt's’ is a very common spoken shortcut in German, especially among younger speakers. While perfectly natural in conversation, it is considered too informal for written German, academic papers, or business correspondence. In those contexts, use the full form ‘gibt es’. Also note that in some southern German dialects you might hear ‘gibt’s’ pronounced with a slightly longer vowel, e.g., /ɡiːpts/.