Grundlagen der Molekularbiologie, Genetik und Analytik
Zweite Auflage 2014
Print ISBN: 978-3-527-33502-2 (auch in elektronischer Form erhältlich)
Eckhardt, S., Gottwald, W., Stieglitz, B.
1 × 1 der Laborpraxis
Prozessorientierte Labortechnik für Studium und Berufsausbildung
Zweite Auflage 2007
Print ISBN: 978-3-527-31657-1 (auch in elektronischer Form erhältlich)
Steven L. Hanft
Fachenglisch für Laborberufe
The Author
Steven L. Hanft, M.A.
CONUSBAT Internationalization Regulatory Services
Kruppstr. 18
52072 Aachen
Germany
www.conusbat.com/steven.hanftconusbat.com
Audio files:
The audio files were kindly recorded by Florian Herkert Ba. of Arts (hons.) Audio Production Audio Engineer/Live/Studio Germany
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Print ISBN: 978-3-527-33512-1
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Cover Design Bluesea Design, McLeese Lake, Canada
Preface
When compared with English, the German language and its lengthy verbatim deals a blow to English speaking natives, but undeniably, English is the lingua franca for global business communication. Airlines and airport control personnel, international trade shows or sporting events (World Cup Football, Olympics, European-wide track and field, etc.), life sciences (medical, pharma, biotech), “Rock ‘n’ Roll” music, NATO, as well as the chemical industries rely on English as the common language.
In fact, Webster's Third New International Dictionary, together with its 1993 Addenda section includes some 470,000 word entries (vocabulary).
The Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, reports that it includes a similar or comparable number of words.
According to Goethe Institute's Web site, “The German language is constantly producing new words,” known as neologisms. Yet it may take several years for a word to be included in the Duden dictionary and various criteria also have to be fulfilled. It is a well-known fact that philologists are cautious to comment on how many words exist in the German language… 200 000, 300 000, or even 500 000? It's hard to say, is what you always hear.
But what is clear is that German, as well as French loan words exist in the English language. Some examples of German loan words to English are the following (further discussed in Section 75):
Angst, as in fear
Arbeiter, during Richard M. Nixon's US Presidency, Henry Kissinger was the Arbiter of “shuttle diplomacy” between certain Arab factions and Israel
Gesundheit, as in G-d bless you (when someone sneezes)
Gneis, as in the metamorphic rock, Gneiss
Kindergarten, first year of elementary (primary) school
Schadenfreude, someone who finds comfort or delight in someone else's misfortune or unhappiness
Schlepp, as into schlepp baggage around.
Fachenglische für Laborberufe (Technical English for Laboratory Personnel) is a practical instructing manual specifically for the German-speaking market and with its goal to support one's English communication skills for everyday use.
Target groups (Zielgruppen): Management, Science, and Technical Personnel, Administration Personnel
Customer Service
Kundenbetreuung, Kundendienst
Documentation
Dokumentation
Procurement, International Sales, and Marketing
Einkauf Material- und Rohstoffeinkäufer
Production
Produktionsleitung und -assistenten
Quality Departments: Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Quality Person
Qualitätsleiter und Mitarbeiter
Occupational Safety
Arbeitsschutz
R&D (lab managers, lab assistants-/technicians)
F&E, Laborleiter, Laboranten,
Regulatory Affairs, Product Safety
Bereichsverantwortliche für REACH, CPR, Produktsicherheit, Dokumentation, Kundendienst
Laboratory personnel from the following industries should consider using this book's practical approach:
Chemical industry
Chemikalen Industrien
Life science industries; pharmaceutical, biotechnological, medical
Life-Science-Industrien: Pharma and Biotechnologie, medizinisch personal
Food and nutrition
Lebensmittel and Ehrnährungsmittel
Cosmetic, personal care, consumer health, household products
This practical innovative teaching manual will provide you with instruction and guidance for:
Sector industry terminology
Practical advice for introducing yourself to English-speaking colleagues such as:
“Elevator Speech,” which acts as your introductory “tool”
Oral presentations to be made at a trade exhibition (Messe), congress, symposium, and so on.
“Small-talk” topics and strategy for use with international colleagues
Understanding/Interpreting a seminar or webinar's advertisement
Basic legal regulatory affairs terminology, something the author believes is unique for laboratory personnel to delve into
Special technical vocabulary related to prefixes (Vorsilbe)-/suffixes (Nachsilbe), Synonyms ≠ Antonyms
Lessons for business communication skills such as:
tips to improve writing more effective e-mails
ways to improve automatic e-mail responses when away from the laboratory
Comparing British (Oxford)-EnglishBrE and American-EnglishAmE
Selected science topics with appropriate terminology for chemistry, biology, biochemistry, laboratory instrumentation, and so on.
Laboratory jargon, business expressions, industry abbreviations, and mnemonic devices (Eselsbrücke)
Spelling, pronunciation, and grammar tips with appropriate quizzes to test your technical English skills.
Authored by an English/German speaker, who is a certified NY State Biology Educator with decades of industry experience as a former specialty chemical sales and marketing manager for a top chemical processor in the New York City metro region; to our knowledge, no book of this kind exists for the German-speaking nations or regions of Europe.
Based on the author's professional experience in developing and implementing a proven curriculum for German-speaking laboratory personnel, this book's topics were selected because of practical work with German-speaking laboratory personnel.
It's been my observation that the method of instructing English is often attempted by non-native speaking educators and without international business experience; thus, the goal here is to stimulate the reader to learn technical English from a more focused perspective. With a little perseverance, you will enjoy and benefit rapidly from this approach, Der Mut verließ ihn, üben, üben, üben… Viele Glück/Good luck
Steven L. Hanft, M.A., President, CONUSBAT (www.conusbat.com)
Symbols used in this book
aka
=
also known as
Ans.:
=
Answer
conc.
=
concentration
ex.
=
example
fyi
=
for your information
i.e.
=
id est (for instance)
Pt.
=
Point, as in freezing or boiling point (pt.)
TM
=
trade mark
vs.
=
versus (gegen)
§
=
law, regulation
Grammar symbols used in this book
AmE
American-English
BrE
British-English
pl.
plural
s.
singular
n.
noun
v.
verb
adj.
adjective
adv.
adverb
Math symbols used in this book
∼
approximately
↑
increase or uptake as in Oxygen (O2)
↓
decrease or poor intake as in Oxygen (O2)
≥
greater than or equal to
≤
less than or equal to
≠
unequal
Acknowledgments
My deep gratitude and thanks goes out to the following people for helping me to write this book.
Firstly, I wish to thank my wife, Annelie Struessmann, who spent endless hours on what she says is my “hobby,” namely, business communication skills workshops for the German-speaking markets. As a Muttersprachlerin, Annelie's guidance, understanding of the German chemical industry and expertise in EU/Global chemical regulations helped immensely. How she put up with me during the time for writing this book remains a mystery!
Also, I wish to thank the following family members and mentors for their help, guidance, and support:
Herr Carsten Struessman, whose understanding for endless nuances between American and British English became essential for several chapters written for this book.
Herr Simon Gust, Esq. Lawyer with BaFin, Bonn, Germany, who provided me with support on legal translations and terminology.
Herr Dr. Helmar Gust, Institut für Kognitionswissenschaft, Universität Osnabrück, Germany for support on technical terminology.
Mr. George Pincus and Mr. Stan Silverberg, both retired NY State Educators, and life time educational mentors of mine.
Herr Dr. Christopher Habermann for directing me to go “where no one has gone before” in the field of international business communications skills.
Frau Annette Rogge-Toehgiono for her efforts to provide added-value linguistic support to my efforts.
Frau Hannelore Paternoga, who was a great sounding board for the overall interests of German-speaking laboratory personnel!
Two dear friends of mine from the New York City metro area:
Dr. med. Robert Seebacher, Chief Orthopedic Surgeon, Phelps Memorial Hospital, Tarrytown, New York, USA, was especially helpful for Chapter 8, “Bio-Medicine” for as well as his thoughts on specific areas related to organic chemistry.
Mr. Griff Trow, Esq., Lawyer, Stamford, Connecticut, USA, for legal language usage. Griff, a true friend indeed (since 1965), knows family law better than any other lawyer in the NYC metro area, and if he only had the time, he'd love to be sailing on either the Nord- oder Ostsee!
Last but not least, guidance from two Wiley & Sons, Weinheim, Germany, employees:
Ms. Lesley Fenske and Herr Dr. Frank Weinreich at Wiley & Sons Verlag, Weinheim, for their efforts to periodically check in on me, keep this “New Yorker” in line and exchange valid ideas for this book's practical approach.
So, I wish you the reader success in using this practical approach, üben, üben, üben!
.... “Alevivo,” a New York summer camp chant.
Steven L. Hanft, M.A., President, CONUSBAT, Aachen, Germany
1 English Grammar 101
1.1 Parts of Speech: Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Verb, Adverb, and so on
When putting your words together to form sentences, would you agree that it is important to know “the parts of speech” used in the sentence or paragraph you are writing? This means knowing if the word in the sentence is a noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, gerund, conjunction, preposition, or interjection.
QUIZ YOURSELF
What parts of speech are the following words (noun, verb, adjective, etc.)?
1. analyzing ____________
2. beaker ____________
3. to measure ___________
4. red _________
Answers to the above:
1. Gerund, analyzing is an action word, where a verb is transformed into a noun.
2. Noun, a beaker is an object.
3. Verb, measure is used in its infinitive form.
4. Red describes the color of an object, and therefore is an adjective.
1.1.1 Noun = Subject (Person, Place, Thing)
The cat sat on the mat.
George Washington was America's first President.
1.1.2 Pronoun = Expresses a Distinction of a Person
Pronoun as subject
Pronoun as object
Possessive pronoun
Reflexive pronoun
I
Me
Mine
Myself
You
You
Yours
Yourself
He
Him
His
Himself
She
Her
Hers
Herself
It
It
Its
Itself
We
Us
Ours
Ourselves
You
You
Yours
Yourselves
They
Them
Theirs
Themselves
1.1.3 Adjective = Words That Describe or Modify a Noun
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
The idea is cool, yet crazy!
She has five shirts, and two are red and the rest are green.
1.1.4 Verb = Action Word
She washed her automobile.
Did you bring your language dictionaries to this workshop?
To be or to have, shall/should, will/would, can/may, and so on.
Verb infinitives (the verb in its basic form: To be, to love, to have, to perceive, to say, to speak, to ski, to run, and so on.
1.1.4.1 The Use of the Two Verbs; Can vs. May
Can (können)
May (dürfen)
• Can you work in my lab today? (ability)
• You too may borrow my HPLC. (permission)
• Can you do me a favor? (could)
• Due to the late scheduling of the symposium,I may arrive late. (possibility)
• Reminder.…May, the month is a noun!(months are capitalized!)
QUIZ YOURSELF: Can or May
When using the rules from above, the choice between can or may, is not so obvious in the sentences below.
Which word would you choose?
1.Can or May I have food served in the conference room?
2. Yes, you can or may make arrangements with the onsite cafe.
3. Restaurant guests can or may have their parking tickets validated.
For the sentences above, does the meaning involve ability, possibility, or permission?
Some people would say each one involves ability. For example:
1. Am I able to have food served in the conference room?
2. Yes, you are able to make arrangements with the onsite cafe.
3. Restaurant guests are able to have their parking tickets validated.
Yet, some people would say each one involves ability. For example:
1. Am I permitted to have food served in the conference room?
2. Yes, you are permitted to make arrangements with the onsite cafe.
3. Restaurant guests are permitted to have their parking tickets validated.
1.1.5 Adverb = Words That Modify a Verb
Quickly, the oil flowed through the drilling pipe.
The meeting went well.
The concert was beautifully performed.
Sam asked Jean, “How are you doing after surgery?” Jean replied, “I'm doing incredibly well!”
1.1.5.1 Good (adj.) vs. Well (adv.)
Two special words, which are easily confused
Incorrect usage
Correct usage
I did good on the test.
I did well on the test.
She played the game good.
She played the game well.
Usage of Good versus Well – exceptions
1. “Well” may be used when describing if something is proper, healthy, or suitable. As in, “I am well (healthy) today.” However, an exception to this is the following: How are you feeling? I feel good. (think of James Brown's soul song, “I Feel Good”)
2. Another way well may be used is when starting a sentence such as, “Well, that explains everything.” In this case, well means “Of course” or “Yes.”
1.1.6 Gerund = Using -ing, an Action Word, a Verb Becomes a Noun
Swimming and reading are both fun!
1.1.7 Prepositions Indicate a Relation Between Things
Common prepositions used: of, in, with, on, about, beneath, against, beside, over, during, throughBrE versus thruAmE.
The weather in May in Chicago is generally quite pleasant.
On Tuesday, she was declared the winner of the election.
The biochemistry book was taken away from the student.
1.1.7.1 Between (zwischen) vs. Among (unter); two confusing prepositions
1. between (used with either two people or things)
a.Between you and me, I think we can solve the problem easily!
b. The Pyrenees mountain chain lies between Spain and France.
2. Among, amongst (used with three or more people or things).
a.Among the three of us, I am sure we can resolve the issue between them.
b. Living in the rain forest amongst other wild animals, gorillas continue to endure.
1.1.8 Conjunctions Connect Two Words, Phrases, or Clauses
And: presents non-contrasting item(s) or idea(s); “They gamble, and they smoke.”
But: presents a contrast or exception; “They gamble, but they don't smoke.”
Nor (neither): presents a non-contrasting negative idea; “They don't gamble, nor do they smoke.”
Or: presents an alternative item or idea; “Every day they gamble, or they smoke.”
Yet: presents a contrast or exception; “They gamble, yet they don't smoke.”
So: presents a consequence; “He gambled well last night, so he smoked a cigar to celebrate.”
For: presents a reason; “He is gambling with his health, for he has been smoking far too long in his life.” (though “for” is more commonly used as a preposition).
1.1.9 Interjections: Words of Exclamation, Interjections or Expressions of an Emotion or Sentiment
Some examples of interjections:
Cheers! Congratulations! Hooray!
Oh my! Oh dear! Oh my God!
Uh? Ha! Hey, that's mine!
Excuse me! Sorry! No thank you!
1.2 Practical Usage of Adjectives and Their Comparative and Superlative Forms
Such is the motto of the modern day Olympics, and a good way to look at this chapter's topic, Comparative and superlative adjectives. In German language, one is familiar with these examples of comparatives and superlatives:
1.gut, besser, am besten.
2.hoch, höher, am höchsten.
3.kalt, kälter, am kältesten.
In English grammar, the comparative and superlative of an adjective or adverb is the greatest form it can have, which indicates that something has some feature to a greater degree than anything it is being compared to in a given context.
Example of using a superlative: Adam is 45, Bess is 35, and Chris is 25; thus, Adam is the oldest of the three.
Naturally, the goal of this book is to help apply one's technical English with practical situations that may arise in the laboratory and beyond. Thus, some examples of comparatives and superlatives expressed in a fictional laboratory situation or setting might be:
The substance in the graduated cylinder is colder than the liquid in the beaker.
Of all the other potential ingredients used in the formula, this sugar is the sweetest in taste, and whitest in color.
A six-carbon chain (hexane) is longer than the five-carbon chain (pentane).
The precipitate from the reaction is the least amount produced from the three pilot runs performed today!
1.2.1.1 One-Syllable Adjectives
Form the comparative and superlative forms of a one-syllable adjective by adding -er for the comparative form and -est for the superlative.
One-syllable adjective
Comparative form
Superlative form
Cool/warm
Cooler/warmer
Coolest/warmest
Cold/hot
Colder/hotter
Coldest/hottest
Long/short
Longer/shorter
Longest/shortest
Old/young
Older/younger
Oldest/youngest
Rich/poor
Richer/poorer
Richest/poorest
Sweet
Sweeter
Sweetest
Tall/short
Taller/shorter
Tallest/shortest
Mary is richer than Max.
Of all the students, Joan is the tallest and the coolest.
That history lesson is the longest one I've ever heard.
Of the three workers, Mary is the oldest.
If the one-syllable adjective ends with an e, just add -r for the comparative form and -st for the superlative form.
One-syllable adjective with final -e
Comparative form
Superlative form
Large
Larger
Largest
Wise
Wiser
Wisest
Mary's car is larger than Max's car.
Mary's house is the tallest of all the houses on the block.
Max is wiser than his brother.
Max is the wisest person I know.
If the one-syllable adjective ends with a single consonant with a vowel before it, double the consonant and add -er for the comparative form; and double the consonant and add -est for the superlative form.
One-syllable adjective ending with a single consonant with a single vowel before it
Comparative form
Superlative form
Big
Bigger
Biggest
Fat
Fatter
Fattest
Sad
Sadder
Saddest
Thin
Thinner
Thinnest
My dog is the biggest of all the dogs in the neighborhood.
Max is thinner than John.
Of all the students in the class, Max is the thinnest.
My mother is fatter than your mother.
Mary is the fattest person I've ever seen.
1.2.1.2 Two-Syllable Adjectives
With most two-syllable adjectives, you form the comparative with more and the superlative with most.
Two-syllable adjective
Comparative form
Superlative form
Beautiful
More beautiful
Most beautiful
Careful
More careful
Most careful
Peaceful
More peaceful
Most peaceful
Pleasant
More pleasant
Most pleasant
Thoughtful
More thoughtful
Most thoughtful
This morning is more peaceful than yesterday morning.
Max's house in the mountains is the most peaceful in the world.
Max is more careful than Mike.
Of all the taxi drivers, Jack is the most careful.
Jill is more thoughtful than your sister.
Mary is the most thoughtful person I've ever met.
If the two-syllable adjectives ends with -y, change the y to i and add -er for the comparative form. For the superlative form change the y to i and add -est.
Two-syllable adjective ending with -y
Comparative form
Superlative form
Angry
Angrier
Angriest
Busy
Busier
Busiest
Funny
Funnier
Funniest
Happy
Happier
Happiest
Pretty
Prettier
Prettiest
John is happier today than he was yesterday.
John is the happiest boy in the world.
Max is angrier than Mary.
Of all of John's victims, Max is the angriest.
Mary is busier than Max.
Mary is the busiest person I've ever met.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in -er, -le, or -ow take -er and -est to form the comparative and superlative forms.
Two-syllable adjective ending with -er, -le, or -ow
Comparative form
Superlative form
Narrow
Narrower
Narrowest
Gentle
Gentler
Gentlest
The roads in this town are narrower than the roads in the city.
This road is the narrowest of all the roads in California.
Big dogs are gentler than small dogs.
Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the gentlest.
1.2.1.3 Adjectives with Three or More Syllables
For adjectives with three syllables or more, you form the comparative with more and the superlative with most.
Adjective with three or more syllables
Comparative form
Superlative form
Dangerous
More dangerous
Most dangerous
Generous
More generous
Most generous
Important
More important
Most important
Intelligent
More intelligent
Most intelligent
John is more generous than Jack.
John is the most generous of all the people I know.
Health is more important than money.
Of all the people I know, Max is the most important.
Women are more intelligent than men.
Mary is the most intelligent person I've ever met.
1.2.1.4 Exceptions – Irregular Adjectives
Irregular adjective
Comparative form
Superlative form
Bad
Worse
Worst
Far
Farther
Farthest
Good
Better
Best
Little
Less
Least
Many
More
Most
Italian food is better than American food.
My dog is the best dog in the world.
My mother's cooking is worse than your mother's cooking.
Of all the students in the class, Max is the worst.
Some two-syllable adjectives follow two rules. These adjectives can be used with -er and -est as well as with more and most.
Two-syllable adjective
Comparative form
Superlative form
Clever
Cleverer
Cleverest
Clever
More clever
Most clever
Gentle
Gentler
Gentlest
Gentle
More gentle
Most gentle
Friendly
Friendlier
Friendliest
Friendly
More friendly
Most friendly
Quiet
Quieter
Quietest
Quiet
More quiet
Most quiet
Simple
Simpler
Simplest
Simple
More simple
Most simple
Big dogs are gentler than small dogs.
Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the gentlest.
Big dogs are more gentle than small dogs.
Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the most gentle.
1.2.2 QUIZ YOURSELF: Practical Usage of Adjectives and Their Comparative and Superlative Forms
1.2.2.1 Part I: Answer the Following Questions in the Space Provided
1. Write the comparative: for example, old, older, oldest
a. good, ______ best
b. strong, ______ strongest
c. happy, _____ happiest
d. important, _____ most important
e. large, ________ largest
f. bad, ________ worst.
2. Complete the sentences with a superlative: for example, This building is very old. It's the oldest building in the town.
a. It was a very happy day. It was __________ of my life.
b. “Casablanca” with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman is a very good film. It's ________ I've seen.
c. That was a very bad mistake. It was _________ in my life.
d. Yesterday was a very cold day. It was _________ of the year.
e. She's a popular singer. She's _________ in the country.
3. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the adjective in [brackets]: for example, We like wearing the [late] clothing fashion. We like wearing the latest clothing fashion.
a. These trousers are ____________________ [comfortable] than those jeans.
b. She is ______________________ [happy] now than he was last year.
c. You are the ________________________ [pretty] girl in class.
d. The red dress is the ______________________ [attractive] in the shop.
e. Your hair is ____________________ [curly] than my hair.
f. My hair is ______________________ [short] than yours.
1.2.2.2 Part II: Quiz Based on Text Below – First Read the Paragraph Below and Then Write the Adjective in [Brackets] into its Correct Comparative or Superlative Form in the Spaces Below
The fortune 500 firm's quarterly report shows that sales figures were 1… [high] than the previous quarter. Due to the growing economy of our nation, this is no surprise, but what is 2… [interesting] is the addition of clients coming from other industry sectors. Although 3… [cheap] products exist on the market from other 4…[big] suppliers, service is the 5…[important] factor for the consumer.
1. ___________
2. ___________
3. ___________
4. ___________
5. ___________
1.3 Use of Questioning Words for the Inquisitive Lab Worker
Would you agree that in your line of work, asking pertinent questions are important? I'm sure you answered, Yes! Since questions are required for research and the results they provide, lets explain in detail how questioning words are used to ask about specific qualities, times, places, people, and so on, especially as improving daily usage of these words as parts of speech will make your interaction with your English speaking colleagues much easier. Firstly, questioning words are different from Yes/No questions such as:
Do you live in Austria?
Can you go to the movies?
Are you a laboratory manager?
Is it your birthday? Thus, would you like an HPLC wrapped as a gift for your birthday? Joking here, but hope you get the point that these are considered Yes/No questions.
1.3.1 What are the Questioning Words Used in Speech?
What are Typical Questioning Words?
Who versus Whom: Ask yourself if the answer to the question would be, he/she or him/her. If you can answer the question with he/she, then use who; him/her, then use whom. Two examples are the following:
“To [who or whom] did the prize go too? It went to him.” It is improper to say “It went to he.” The correct pronoun for the question is, whom.
“[Who or Whom] went to the store? He went to the store.” It is improper to say “Him went to the store.” The correct pronoun for the question is who.
What happened or what's the story about?
Where did it take place?
When did it take place?
Why did it happen?
How did it happen?
Which one was it?
Whose pants (slacks; Hose) are those?
How much money did your new computer cost?
How many computers did you buy?
These three questions words can cause problems for anyone. After all, who (English) is close in spelling to wo (German), but their pronunciation as well as meaning are totally different! Similarly, where (English) can be confused with wer (German), and potentially also for when (English) vs. wann (German).
1.3.2 Questioning Words; Further Applications in Sentence Form – Practical Use of Questioning Words
1aWho? Use who when referring to the subject of a sentence or phrase.
Who brought the paper inside?
Who talked to you today?
1bWhom? Use whom when referring to the object of a verb.
For a business letter: To whom it may concern: (Wen es betreffen mag)
To whom did you talk today? (Mit wem…?)
Whom does Sarah love? (Wen…?)
2What? Use what when asking about things or activities.
What does he do on the weekends? (Was….?)
What is that? (Was…?)
What planet do we live on? (Auf welchem…?)
–What kind? What type? To be used when asking about specific things or characteristics.
What type of car do you drive? (Welches? Was für ein …?)
What kind of person is he? (Was für eine.. Welche Persönlichkeit hat er?)
–What time? To be used when asking for a specific time.
What time is it? (Wie spät ist es? Wieviel Uhr ist es?)
What time does the show begin? (Zu welcher Zeit beginnt die Show? Um wieviel Uhr…?)
–What … like? To be used when asking about characteristics.
What was the weather like? (Wie?)
What is Mary like? What is Mary's personality? (Was für eine Person ist..? oder Welche Persönlichkeit hat …?)
3Where? To be used when asking about places.
Where do you live?
4When? To be used when asking about general or specific times.
When would you like going out to dinner?
5Why? To be used when wondering about something.
On a clear day, why is the Earth's atmosphere bluish in color?
6How? To be used when combined with many words to ask questions about specific characteristics, qualities, quantities, and so on. For example,
How much does it cost? (Wieviel?)
How often do you go to the movies? (Wie oft?)
How long was the film? (Wie lang?)
7Which? To be used when asking to specify a thing or person from a number of things or people.