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wie

adv · /viː/ ·
Etymology

From Middle High German wie, a merger of two interrelated forms: 1.) Old High German hwio, from older hwēo, from Proto-Germanic *hwaiwa; cognate with Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌰 (ƕaiwa). 2.) Old High German hwē, hwie, from Proto-Germanic *hwē; cognate with Gothic 𐍈𐌴 (ƕē). The latter is a variant of Proto-Germanic *hwī, whence English why, and is further a fossilized instrumental case of *hwaz, *hwat (“who, what”). Form 1 is also related to this stem. Outside of High German the only direct modern cognate is Limburgish wie.

Translation

  1. how

    Wie groß bist du?

    How tall are you?

    Ich weiß nicht, wie die Katze hereingekommen ist.

    I don't know how the cat got in.

    Wie wunderbar!

    How wonderful!

wie

conj · /viː/ ·
Etymology

From Middle High German wie, a merger of two interrelated forms: 1.) Old High German hwio, from older hwēo, from Proto-Germanic *hwaiwa; cognate with Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌰 (ƕaiwa). 2.) Old High German hwē, hwie, from Proto-Germanic *hwē; cognate with Gothic 𐍈𐌴 (ƕē). The latter is a variant of Proto-Germanic *hwī, whence English why, and is further a fossilized instrumental case of *hwaz, *hwat (“who, what”). Form 1 is also related to this stem. Outside of High German the only direct modern cognate is Limburgish wie.

Translation

  1. like

    Freunde sind wie Sterne in der Nacht.

    Friends are like stars in the night.

  2. than Austria, Southern-Germany, colloquial, especially, nonstandard

    Der Junge ist größer wie sein Vater.

    The boy is taller than his father.

  3. when (referring to the past) Austria, colloquial, especially

    Ich hab ihn gesehen, wie ich in Köln war.

    I saw him when I was in Cologne.

    Wie ich zur Tür herauskomme, steht da mein alter Schulfreund.

    When I came out the door, my old school-day friend was standing in front of me.