These are two completely different words, but sometimes students confuse them
because of their similar spelling and pronunciation.
Wander is a physical activity. It means to move around (usually walking) without a
specific destination or purpose:
▶️ On the first day of my trip, I spent a couple hours wandering around the city.
▶️ We wandered through the park, looking at the flowers.
Wonder is a mental activity. It means to feel curiosity, to want to know something.
▶️ I wonder what happened to my friend from elementary school? We haven’t
been in touch for years.
▶️ Your wife is wondering what time you’ll be home – please give her a call.
Note: This is the verb form of “wonder.” There is also a noun form, which means “awe
or admiration.”
There’s also a pronunciation difference:
▶️ The WAN of wander is like the WAN of “want.”
▶️ The WON of wonder is like the words “won” or “one.”