Asking questions in German is straightforward once you know the key question words and the typical word order patterns. This guide goes through the common question words, how to form yes/no questions, and how to structure more detailed questions.
Question Words
Question words in German each serve a specific function, such as asking about time, place, reason, manner, or identity. Learning the main question words will help you ask clear questions and understand answers.
| German Word | English Word | |
|---|---|---|
| wer | who | |
| was | what | |
| wann | when | |
| wo | where | |
| warum | why | |
| wie | how | |
| welcher / welche / welches | which | |
| wessen | whose |
Who is coming to the party?
Yes/No Questions
Yes/no questions are formed by placing the verb first, followed by the subject. This inversion signals that a question is being asked and is used for questions that can be answered with "ja" or "nein."
Examples
Question Formation
When forming questions with question words, the question word comes first, followed by the verb, and then the subject. This order helps signal what information is being requested.
Examples
| German Statement | English Statement | German Question | English Question | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Das Café hat viele Sorten Kaffee. | The café has many types of coffee. | Hat das Café viele Sorten Kaffee? | Does the café have many types of coffee? | |
| Du kennst das neue Café. | You know the new café. | Kennst du das neue Café? | Do you know the new café? | |
| Heute gibt es frische Croissants. | Today there are fresh croissants. | Gibt es heute frische Croissants? | Are there fresh croissants today? |
Questions with Prepositions
Questions that require a preposition place the question word first, followed by the verb, the subject, and then the preposition if it is needed. Sometimes the preposition attaches to the question word, as with "worauf" or "woran."
Examples
Tag Questions
Tag questions add a short question at the end to confirm information, often using phrases like "oder?" or "nicht wahr?" They turn a statement into a question that seeks agreement.
Examples
Indirect Questions
Indirect questions embed a question within a sentence and follow the word order of a statement rather than a direct question. They are often introduced by verbs like wissen, fragen, or phrases like ich möchte wissen.
Examples
Summary
German questions rely on question words and verb-second or verb-first word order to signal what is being asked. Practice the key question words and typical sentence patterns to ask clear questions in a variety of situations.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025