wir

Wir is the German first-person plural pronoun used as the subject of a sentence. It translates to “we” in English and refers to the speaker and at least one other person. In most contexts, wir functions like other personal pronouns by marking who performs the action.

Origin and cognates: Wir derives from Proto-Germanic and is cognate with English we, Dutch wij, and related forms in other Germanic languages. This shared ancestry places wir among the fundamental set of pronouns that have existed in the Germanic family since ancient times.

Grammatical forms: As a pronoun, wir is nominative. Its object forms are uns, which appear in both the accusative and dative cases (e.g., “Sie sehen uns” and “Gib es uns”). The possessive determiner before a noun is unser- (as in unser Auto), and possessive pronouns vary by context in standard grammar.

Usage and nuance: German does not distinguish inclusive versus exclusive “we” as some languages do; wir generally refers to the speaker and their surrounding group, including listeners when relevant. The pronoun works across casual and formal speech, and its meaning is shaped by verb conjugation and context rather than by a separate pronoun form.

In modern usage: Wir appears in everyday speech and writing, in idioms and quotations, and in titles or slogans that emphasize collective action or identity. It is a core element of German grammar and is typically learned early by language learners as the basic first-person plural pronoun.

See also: German pronouns, first-person pronouns, German grammar.