A1 · 2.5 · die Fragen
Asking questions in German
Yes/no questions start with the verb. Other questions start with a W-word and then the verb.
Two types
Yes / no: verb first
No “do” in German.
Sprechen Sie Englisch?Do you speak English?
Wohnst du in Leipzig?Do you live in Leipzig?
W-question: W-word + verb
The verb is still second.
Wo arbeitest du?Where do you work?
The W-words
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| wer | who | Wer ist das?Who is that? |
| was | what | Was machst du?What are you doing? |
| wo | where (at) | Wo wohnen Sie?Where do you live? |
| woher | where from | Woher kommst du?Where are you from? |
| wohin | where to | Wohin fährt der Bus?Where is the bus going? |
| wie | how | Wie heißen Sie?What is your name? |
| wann | when | Wann beginnt der Kurs?When does the course start? |
| warum | why | Warum lernst du Deutsch?Why are you learning German? |
| wie viel | how much | Wie viel kostet das?How much does that cost? |
Good to know 1 1
1
1wer = who (not where!). wo = where.
Answering “yes” to a negative question: use doch. Kommst du nicht? (Aren’t you coming?) – Doch! (Yes, I am!)
Practise: Asking questions10 questions with instant feedback · free, no account needed
Cheat sheet: Word order