adverb
what about
B1
'worum' is an interrogative adverb meaning 'about what' or 'what about'. Used in questions like 'Worum geht es?' to ask concerning what something is about. It's formed from 'wo' + 'um', invariable, and typically appears in subordinate or main interrogative clauses, not as a preposition on its own.
Examples
Der Student fragte, worum es in der Übung ging, weil das Thema von der Dozentin geändert worden war.
The student asked what the exercise was about because the topic had been changed by the lecturer.
Worum geht es in dem Buch?
What is the book about?
Details
Mnemonics
Picture someone pointing and asking 'Worum geht es?' with a question mark over a topic.
Sounds like 'wo-room' — imagine asking 'in which room?' to remember it's a question word.
Notes
Worum is a pronominal adverb used to ask about the topic or matter (often corresponds to 'about what' or 'what about'). It pairs with verbs like 'gehen' ('Worum geht es?').