A1.18 - Asking things

Asking questions (Ja/Nein-Fragen, W‑Fragen, ...)

Fragen stellen (Ja/Nein-Fragen, W-Fragen, ...)

Lerne den richtigen Satzbau um Fragen zu stellen.

(Learn the correct word order to ask questions.)

Question types in German: the key idea (verb position)

German questions are mainly about where the verb goes.

  • Yes/No questions: the verb is in position 1.
  • W-questions (question word): the question word is position 1, and the verb is position 2.
  • Negation in questions: nicht usually goes after the subject (often before time/place details).

Yes/No questions (Ja/Nein-Fragen): Verb first

Formula: Verb + subject (pronoun/name) + the rest

Statement Question
Du hast einen Hund. Hast du einen Hund?
Ihr kommt heute. Kommt ihr heute?
Sie arbeiten im Büro. Arbeiten Sie im Büro?
  • In English you often need do/does. In German you usually don’t add an extra helping verb.
    • English: Do you have time?
    • German: Hast du Zeit?
  • Common beginner mistake: leaving the statement word order.
    • Du hast Zeit? (sounds informal/like an echo question)
    • Hast du Zeit?

W-questions: Question word + verb

Formula: question word + Verb + subject + the rest

Question word What you’re asking Example
Wann time / when Wann beginnt der Deutschkurs?
Wo location / where Wo arbeitet Herr Becker?
Wie how / in what way; also “what is … like?” Wie heißt deine Kollegin?
Wer who Wer kommt zum Meeting?
Was what Was ist das Thema?

Self-check: Is the verb immediately after the question word? If yes, your structure is probably correct.

Negation in questions: using “nicht”

Use nicht to ask “not …?” / “aren’t …?” questions.

  • Typical structure: Verb + subject + nicht + (the rest)
  • Often used to confirm something you expect is true.
German question Natural meaning in English
Kommst du nicht heute? Aren’t you coming today?
Haben Sie nicht Zeit? Don’t you have time? / You don’t have time?
Kommst du nicht aus Berlin? Aren’t you from Berlin?
  • Don’t confuse nicht with kein.
    • nicht negates the verb/adjective/whole idea: Ich arbeite nicht.
    • kein negates a noun with no article/indefinite meaning: Ich habe kein Auto.

“Welcher / Welche / Welches”: asking “which one?”

Welcher changes like an article. Choose the form based on the gender of the noun.

Formula: Welcher/Welche/Welches + noun + verb + subject

Noun Gender Question word Example question
der Film masculine Welcher Welcher Film ist das?
die Adresse feminine Welche Welche Adresse ist richtig?
das Büro neuter Welches Welches Büro ist frei?
  • Quick tip: if you know der/die/das, you can build the question:
    • der → welcher
    • die → welche
    • das → welches

Step-by-step: build your own question (30-second checklist)

  1. What type of question?
    • Yes/No → start with the verb.
    • W-question → start with the question word, then the verb.
    • Which? → start with welcher/welche/welches + noun.
  2. Put the verb early:
    • Yes/No: verb in position 1
    • W-question: verb in position 2
  3. Add “nicht” only if you mean “not / aren’t …?” (usually after the subject).
  4. Read it aloud: does it sound like a real question with the verb up front?
Fragetyp (type of question)Struktur (structure)Beispiel (example)
Ja/Nein-Fragen (yes/no questions)Frage: Verb + Personalpronomen + Objekt (Question: verb + personal pronoun + object)

Hast du einen Hund? (Do you have a dog?)

Ja. (Yes.)

W-Fragen (mit Fragewort) (wh-questions (with a question word))Fragewort + Verb + Personalpronomen + Objekt (question word + verb + personal pronoun + object)

Wann gehst du zur Schule? (When do you go to school?)

Um 7.50 Uhr. (At 7:50.)

Verneinung in Fragen (negation in questions)Verb + Personalpronomen + nicht  (verb + personal pronoun + not)

Kommst du nicht heute? (Aren’t you coming today?)

Nein, heute komme ich nicht. (No, I’m not coming today.)

Welcher, Welche, WelchesFragewort + Nomen + Verb + Subjekt

Welcher Film ist das? (Which movie is that?)

Das ist James Bond. (That’s James Bond.)

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. _____ beginnt der Deutschkurs?

_____ does the German course start?

2. _____ du heute Zeit für ein kurzes Gespräch?

_____ you have time today for a short conversation?

3. Kommst du _____ aus Berlin?

Are you _____ from Berlin?

4. _____ Adresse ist richtig?

_____ address is correct?

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the statements as questions: Use appropriate question words (where, when, how, who, what, which) or a yes/no question; in one task form a question with “not”.

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints
  1. Du hast ein Auto.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Hast du ein Auto?
    (Do you have a car?)
  2. Du kommst heute ins Büro.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Kommst du heute nicht ins Büro?
    (Aren’t you coming to the office today?)
  3. Hint Hint (Wann) Der Termin ist am Montag.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Wann ist der Termin?
    (When is the appointment?)
  4. Hint Hint (Wo) Du wohnst in Berlin.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Wo wohnst du?
    (Where do you live?)
  5. Hint Hint (Wie) Dein Kollege heißt Herr Becker.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Wie heißt dein Kollege?
    (What is your colleague’s name?)
  6. Hint Hint (Welcher) Das ist der Film „James Bond“.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Welcher Film ist das?
    (Which film is this?)

Exercise 3: Grammar in action

Instruction: Ask questions to clarify the time, place and agenda of the meeting.

Show/Hide translation
Situation
Du bist neu im Büro und fragst eine Kollegin nach Details zum Projektmeeting.
(You are new at the office and ask a colleague for details about the project meeting.)
Discuss
  • Wann beginnt das Meeting und wie lange dauert es? (When does the meeting start and how long does it last?)
  • Wo findet das Meeting statt und in welchem Raum? (Raumnummer) (Where does the meeting take place and in which room? (Room number))
Useful words and phrases
  • Wer ist dabei? (Who is attending?)
  • Wo ist das Meeting? (Where is the meeting?)
  • Welche Themen sind wichtig? (Which topics are important?)
Use in conversation
  • Ja/Nein-Fragen (Yes/no questions)
  • W‑Fragen (Wh- questions)
  • Verneinung in Fragen (Negation in questions)

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 16/04/2026 15:03