Yes/No Questions in German

Overview

Asking yes/no questions in German is refreshingly simple once you know the main clause word order. Instead of adding a helper word like English "do" (Do you speak German?), you simply move the conjugated verb to the very first position in the sentence. This verb-first structure signals a question, and the expected answer is either ja (yes) or nein (no).

This is one of the most approachable A1 topics because it requires no new vocabulary — just a rearrangement of words you already know. The statement Du kommst morgen (You are coming tomorrow) becomes the question Kommst du morgen? (Are you coming tomorrow?) by moving the verb to the front.

In spoken German, rising intonation at the end also helps signal the question, just like in English.

How It Works

Formation: Move the conjugated verb to Position 1

Statement	Question
Du kommst morgen.	Kommst du morgen?
Er hat Zeit.	Hat er Zeit?
Sie sprechen Deutsch.	Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
Ihr seid müde.	Seid ihr müde?
Das ist richtig.	Ist das richtig?

Key points:

• The verb comes first, immediately followed by the subject
• Everything else stays in the same relative order
• No helper word like "do/does" is needed
• With modal verbs, the modal goes first and the infinitive stays at the end: Kannst du schwimmen?

Answering yes/no questions:

• Ja + positive statement: Ja, ich komme morgen.
• Nein + negative statement: Nein, ich komme morgen nicht.
• Doch (to contradict a negative question): Kommst du nicht? — Doch, ich komme!

Examples in Context

German	English	Note
Kommst du morgen?	Are you coming tomorrow?	du-form
Hast du Zeit?	Do you have time?	haben question
Ist das richtig?	Is that correct?	sein question
Sprechen Sie Englisch?	Do you speak English?	Formal
Spielst du Fußball?	Do you play football?	Hobby
Wohnt ihr in Berlin?	Do you all live in Berlin?	ihr-form
Kann ich Ihnen helfen?	Can I help you?	Modal verb
Hast du Geschwister?	Do you have siblings?	Family
Möchtest du Kaffee?	Would you like coffee?	möchten question
Regnet es?	Is it raining?	Weather

Common Mistakes

Keeping the subject before the verb

• Wrong: Du kommst morgen? (only works with rising intonation in casual speech)
• Right: Kommst du morgen?
• Why: Proper yes/no questions require verb-first word order. While the statement-with-rising-intonation form exists in casual speech, the standard form puts the verb first.

Adding "do/does" equivalents

• Wrong: Tust du kommen morgen?
• Right: Kommst du morgen?
• Why: German does not use a "do" helper for questions. Simply move the main verb to the front.

Forgetting "doch" for contradicting negative questions

• Wrong: Bist du nicht müde? — Ja, ich bin nicht müde.
• Right: Bist du nicht müde? — Doch, ich bin müde! (or Nein, ich bin nicht müde.)
• Why: Doch is used to contradict a negative assumption. It means "on the contrary, yes!"

Practice Tips

1. Statement-to-question conversion: Take any statement you know and turn it into a yes/no question by moving the verb. Practice with ten sentences daily.
2. Interview game: Prepare ten yes/no questions about daily life and practice asking and answering them: Trinkst du Kaffee? — Ja, ich trinke Kaffee.

Related Concepts

• Parent: Word Order (Main Clause) — the V2 rule that questions modify