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German Phrase

Wann schläfst du?

/van ˈʃlɛːfst duː/
Meaning"When do you sleep?"
💡

Meaning

This question asks someone about the time they usually go to sleep or the specific time they will sleep tonight. It can be used to discuss daily routines, plan evening activities, or simply satisfy curiosity about a person's bedtime.

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When to use

Use it in informal conversations with friends, family members, or classmates when you want to know their sleeping schedule, arrange a late‑night meetup, or compare habits. It is not appropriate in formal settings unless you know the person well enough to use ‘du’.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Wannschläfstdu?

1

Wann (interrogative adverb)

‘Wann’ asks for a point in time and always starts a yes‑no or wh‑question in German.

2

schläfst (verb conjugation)

‘schläfst’ is the 2nd‑person singular present tense of ‘schlafen’ (to sleep).

3

du (personal pronoun)

‘du’ is the informal singular pronoun and serves as the subject of the sentence.

4

Verb‑second (V2) word order

In German main clauses the finite verb occupies the second position, so the subject follows the verb in questions like this.

🗨In Conversation

A

Wann schläfst du?

When do you go to sleep?

Ich gehe meistens um zehn Uhr ins Bett.

I usually go to bed at ten o’clock.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Wann schläft du?

    The verb must agree with ‘du’; use ‘schläfst’ (2nd person singular) not ‘schläft’ (3rd person singular).

  • Du schläfst wann?

    German questions follow V2 order; the verb must be in second position, not at the end.

  • Wann du schläfst?

    The finite verb must come before the subject in a wh‑question.

↔Alternatives

  • Um wie viel Uhr gehst du schlafen?

    At what time do you go to sleep?

  • Zu welcher Zeit schläfst du?

    At what time do you sleep?

  • Wann gehst du ins Bett?

    When do you go to bed?

de

Cultural Tip

In Germany many people aim for a regular bedtime around 22:00–23:00, especially on workdays. Asking ‘Wann schläfst du?’ can be seen as a friendly way to check if someone is a night‑owl or an early bird. Remember to keep the tone informal (using ‘du’) unless you’re speaking with a stranger or a senior, in which case you’d switch to the formal ‘Sie’: ‘Wann schlafen Sie?’