(a) Wie ist deine Adresse/Nummer?
(b) Was ist deine Adresse/Nummer?
I usually see version (a), rather than (b). Why is it that "wie" is used, even though the question corresponds to "what" rather than "how"? Is version (b) correct?
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2"Was" in german has not always the same semantic value of "which". The answer to "was ist deine Adresse?" can thus only be: "Meine Adresse ist eine Adresse" (or some longer definition of "Adresse"). – persson Dec 28 '14 at 17:26
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A lot of what-questions in English correspond to wie-questions in German.
What is your name? - Wie ist Ihr Name?
What is her hair like? - Wie ist ihre Haarfarbe?
et cetera.
Version b is not correct. It is English translated word for word into German.
rogermue
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2Habe ich noch nicht bemerkt.Vielleicht regional. Oder Einfluß des Englischen? Was sagt der Sprachatlas? – rogermue Dec 29 '14 at 04:07
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