Asking Questions
Spoken Description
Lerne, wie man Fragen im Deutschen richtig formuliert. Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitungen und Beispiele für Fragen mit Wörtern wie 'wer', 'was', 'wo', 'wann', 'warum' und 'wie'. Perfekt für Anfänger!
Learn how to form questions in German with clear steps and examples. Covers question words like 'wer', 'was', 'wo', 'wann', 'warum', 'wie'. Suitable for beginners to start asking and answering questions confidently.
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Asking questions in German is straightforward once you know the main question words and how to invert the sentence. This guide covers the key question words and sentence types so you can ask for information clearly.
Question Words
Question words in German each prompt a specific type of information, such as time, manner, place, reason, or person. They all begin with w- except for the yes/no question particle and the question particle for choice or repetition.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| wer | who | |
| was | what | |
| wo | where | |
| wann | when | |
| warum | why | |
| wie | how | |
| welcher / welche / welches | which | |
| wie viel / wie viele | how much / how many | |
| woher | where from | |
| wohin | where to |
Yes/No Questions
Yes/no questions flip the normal subject-verb order so the verb comes first, and they can be answered simply with ja or nein. Start with the conjugated verb, then the subject, then the rest of the sentence.
Inversion Example
W-Questions
W-questions begin with a question word like wer, was, wann, wo, warum, or wie, and they trigger normal word order where the verb stays in second position. The question word occupies the first slot, followed by the verb, then the subject.
W-Questions Example
Asking for Reasons
To ask for a reason, use warum or weshalb at the start of the question. Both prompt an explanation and keep the verb in second position.
Reasons Example
Asking for Time
To ask for time, use question words like wann, wie spät, or um wie viel Uhr. These target specific moments or general times and keep the normal word order after the question word.
Time Example
Asking for Place
Place questions use words like wo, woher, or wohin to distinguish location, origin, or destination. Each question word guides whether you ask about being at a place, coming from, or going to somewhere.
Place Example
Asking for Manner
Manner questions use wie to ask how something is done, womit for the instrument or tool, or wozu for purpose. These question words focus on the way, means, or intention behind an action.
Manner Example
Summary
German questions rely on question words to signal what information you want and consistent word order rules: yes/no questions start with the verb, and w-questions start with the question word followed by the verb. Practicing the key question words and inversions will make asking questions natural and precise.
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