Da and Wo compounds

Question 1

da- Compounds:

Answer 1

Personal pronouns are used after prepositions when referring to people. However, when you need to refer to a thing, a compound usingda-(ordar-if the preposition begins with a vowel)plus the preposition is used.

auf dem Tisch(on the table) becomesdarauf(on it)
in der Tasche(in the pocket) becomesdarin(in it)
vor der Schule(in front of the school)becomesdavor(in front of it)
hinter den Häusern(behind the houses) becomesdahinter(behind them)
zwischen dem Haus und der Schule(between the house and the school) becomesdazwischen(between them)

Question 2

Da(r) Compounds:

Answer 2

daraus
out of it/them
dagegen
against it/them
darüber
over it/them
damit
with it/them
darin
in it/them
darunter
underneath it/them
davon
from it/them
daran
in it/them
daneben
next to it/them
dazu
to it/them
darauf
on top of it/them
dazwischen
between it/them
dadurch
through it/them
dahinter
behind it/them
dabei **
on me/you
dafür
for it/them
davor
in front of it/them
darum **
that's why

** Dabei and darum are idioms. Hast du Geld dabei?Do you have any money on you? Darum hast du kein Glück.That’s why you have no luck.

Question 3

Dahin

Answer 3

Dahinis commonly used with verbs of motion to show location, regardless of the preposition used. The English translation is usuallythere.Dahincan be shortened tohinin everyday speech, and sometimesdais placed at the beginning of the sentence andhinis placed at the end.

Ich muß heute zur Bank. I have to go to the bank.
Ich muß auchdahin. I have to go there too.

Question 4

Prepositions/Pronouns that Cannot be Replaced by the -da(r) Compounds:

Answer 4

ohnedies
without it
stattdessen
instead
bis dahin
until then
trotzdem
nevertheless
ausserdem
besides
währenddessen
in the meanwhile
seit dem
since
deswegen
for that reason

Question 5

wo(r) Compounds:

Answer 5

There are also corresponding questions word that usewo(r)-as the prefix. Wo(r) can be substituted in all of the above da(r) compounds. When asking about people, use a preposition and wen/wem, and use a preposition and the corresponding personal pronoun to answer.

Worübersprechen Sie?
Ich sprechedarüber.
What are you talking about?
I'm talking about it.
Worandenkst du?
Ich denkedaran.
What are you thinking about?
I'm thinking about it.
Mit wemgehst du ins Theater?
Mit ihr!
Who are you going to the Theater with?
With her!

Question 6

Other Uses for the wo- Compounds:

Answer 6

Wo- compounds can also be used as shortcuts for the relative pronouns because you do not need to the know the gender or case to form the relative pronoun. This shortcut can only be used with things and not people.

Die Uhr,mit derer reist, hat viel gekostet. = Die Uhr,womiter reist, hat viel gekostet.
The watch, with which he travels, cost a lot.

Die Stadt,in derwir wohnen, hat ein großes Konzerthaus. = Die Stadt,worinwir wohnen, hat ein großes Konzerthaus.
The city, in which we live, has a large concert hall.