An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/wie

by Friedrich Kluge

wie, adv., ‘how, in what way,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wie, OHG. wio, which is derived from *hwêu for *hewu, hwaiwô; the last form is indicated only by Goth. hwaiwa, ‘how.’ Based on the Teut. pronom. stem hwa-, Aryan qe, qo. The formation of pre-Teut. koiwô is identical with that of Sans. êvā̆, ‘in this manner,’ from the pronom. stem a, ‘this.’ Another form is preserved in E. how, from the equiv. AS. hû (equiv. to OSax. and Teut. hwô).