Yes/no questions; ja, nein and doch
Put the verb first to ask; answer ja, nein or doch
Part of the free A0 German course. Press the speaker next to an example to hear it.
Verb first
To ask a yes/no question, put the verb first and the subject right after it.
| Statement | Question |
|---|---|
| Du kommst aus Köln. | Kommst du aus Köln? |
| Anna wohnt in Leipzig. | Wohnt Anna in Leipzig? |
| Das ist dein Handy. | Ist das dein Handy? |
German has no helper "do": Spielst du Tennis? means "Do you play tennis?". Your voice goes up at the end.
Answering: ja, nein and doch
- Ja = yes. Nein = no.
- Doch = "yes, I do / yes, it is", used to contradict a negative question:
| Question | Answer: you agree | Answer: you contradict |
|---|---|---|
| Kommst du? | Ja. | Nein. |
| Kommst du nicht? | Nein. (I'm not coming.) | Doch! (Yes, I am!) |
| Hast du keine Zeit? | Nein. (I don't.) | Doch! (Yes, I do!) |
oder? at the end
Add oder? after a statement to ask for agreement, like English isn't it? or don't you?: Du wohnst in Bremen, oder?
- Kommst du aus Köln?Are you from Cologne?
- Ja, ich komme aus Köln.Yes, I'm from Cologne.
- Sprechen Sie Deutsch?Do you speak German?
- Ist das dein Handy?Is that your phone?
- Nein, das ist nicht mein Handy.No, that's not my phone.
- Hast du keine Zeit?Don't you have time?
- Doch, ich habe Zeit.Yes, I do have time.
- Du wohnst in Bremen, oder?You live in Bremen, don't you?
Doch only answers a question with nicht or kein. For a normal question, answer ja or nein. More on nicht and kein in nicht or kein?.
Common mistakes
- Asking with statement word order: Du kommst aus Köln? only shows surprise or checks something you already think. The normal question puts the verb first: Kommst du aus Köln?
Machst du spielen Tennis?There is no "do": Spielst du Tennis?- Answering
Jato Bist du nicht müde? when you are tired. Say Doch! Wohnen Anna in Leipzig?The verb still agrees with the subject: Wohnt Anna in Leipzig?
Practice
- How do you ask a friend 'Do you play tennis?'Options: Spielst du Tennis? · Du spielst Tennis machen? · Machst du spielen Tennis?
Show the answer
Spielst du Tennis? — The verb goes first; German has no helper 'do'.
- Which is a correct yes/no question?Options: Wohnt Anna in Leipzig? · Anna in Leipzig wohnt? · Wohnen Anna in Leipzig?
Show the answer
Wohnt Anna in Leipzig? — The verb goes first and agrees with Anna: wohnt.
- _____ du müde? (sein)
Show the answer
Bist
- _____ ihr Kinder? (haben)
Show the answer
Habt
In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days, until you've answered it correctly on three separate days.