German Phrase
Welche langfristigen Folgen gibt's?
Meaning
This question asks the listener to list or describe the long‑term consequences of a particular action, decision, or situation. It is a concise, informal way to probe for future impact.
When to use
Use it when discussing health outcomes, policy results, environmental impacts, or any scenario where you want to know what will happen in the long run. It fits naturally in casual conversation, podcasts, or classroom debates.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WelchelangfristigenFolgengibt's
Welche (interrogative determiner)
Used to ask about a specific set of things; it declines like an adjective and agrees with the noun’s gender, number, and case.
langfristigen (adjective, weak declension)
In the accusative plural after the determiner ‘Welche’, the adjective takes the weak ending –en.
Folgen (noun, plural, accusative)
‘Folgen’ means ‘consequences/effects’; in this question it is the direct object of the impersonal verb ‘geben’.
gibt's (contraction of gibt es)
Colloquial spoken form of the impersonal verb ‘geben’ meaning ‘there is/are’. The contraction is common in informal conversation but avoided in formal writing.
🗨In Conversation
Welche langfristigen Folgen gibt's, wenn wir jetzt mehr Plastik verbrennen?
What long‑term consequences are there if we start burning more plastic now?
Wir könnten mit zunehmender Luftverschmutzung und Gesundheitsproblemen rechnen.
We could expect increased air pollution and health problems.
✕Common Mistakes
Welche langfristige Folgen gibt's?
The adjective must take the weak plural ending –en after ‘Welche’.
Welche langfristigen Folgen gibt es?
In informal spoken German the contraction ‘gibt’s’ is preferred; using the full form sounds stiff in casual conversation.
Welche langfristigen Folge gibt's?
‘Folgen’ is plural; do not use the singular ‘Folge’ unless you refer to a single consequence.
↔Alternatives
Welche langfristigen Konsequenzen gibt es?
What long‑term consequences are there?
Was sind die langfristigen Folgen?
What are the long‑term consequences?
Welche Auswirkungen hat das auf lange Sicht?
What impact does that have in the long run?
Cultural Tip
The contraction ‘gibt’s’ is typical of spoken German and appears often in podcasts, YouTube videos, and everyday chat. In formal writing or presentations, replace it with the full form ‘gibt es’. Also, remember that German speakers often prefer the noun ‘Konsequenzen’ in academic contexts, while ‘Folgen’ feels more neutral and conversational.