German Phrase
Wann ist dein Jahrestag?
Meaning
The sentence asks the listener to give the date of their anniversary – the day they celebrate a special event such as a wedding, a relationship milestone, or a work‑related anniversary.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know the exact day a friend, partner, or colleague commemorates an important personal or professional milestone. It works in informal conversation and can also be used in a polite, slightly more formal setting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WannistdeinJahrestag?
Wann (interrogative adverb)
Used to ask about time; it does not change form and is placed at the beginning of a yes‑no or wh‑question.
ist (3rd person singular of sein)
The verb ‘sein’ is irregular; in present tense the 3rd person singular is ‘ist’.
dein (possessive pronoun)
‘dein’ agrees with a masculine or neuter noun in the nominative case; ‘Jahrestag’ is masculine, so ‘dein’ is correct.
Jahrestag (masculine noun)
Compound noun meaning ‘anniversary’; the article in the nominative would be ‘der’, but it is omitted here because of the possessive.
🗨In Conversation
Wann ist dein Jahrestag?
When is your anniversary?
Er ist am 12. Juni.
It’s on June 12th.
✕Common Mistakes
Wann ist deine Jahrestag?
‘Jahrestag’ is masculine, so the correct possessive is ‘dein’, not the feminine ‘deine’.
Ist wann dein Jahrestag?
For a more precise question you can use ‘An welchem Tag…’, but ‘wann’ is still correct; the mistake is to place it after the verb.
Wann ist dein Geburtstag?
Do not confuse with ‘Jahrestag’ (anniversary) and ‘Jahrestag’ (annual day) – the spelling is the same, but the context matters; avoid using ‘Jahrestag’ for a birthday.
↔Alternatives
An welchem Tag ist dein Jahrestag?
On which day is your anniversary?
Welches Datum hat dein Jahrestag?
What date is your anniversary?
Wann feierst du deinen Jahrestag?
When do you celebrate your anniversary?
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries anniversaries are often celebrated with a small gift, a special dinner, or a trip. The first year is called ‘einjährig’, the fifth ‘Goldene Hochzeit’ (golden wedding), and the 25th ‘Silberne Hochzeit’ (silver wedding). When asking about a partner’s anniversary, it’s polite to keep the tone friendly and not too intrusive unless you have a close relationship.