Exercise 7: Questions (Fragen)

📖 Theory: Two Types of Questions

There are two main types of questions in German. The first starts with a question word (interrogative) and tends to be more 'open'. The second starts with a finite verb and requires 'yes' or 'no' as an answer.

Question Type Toggle: See the Difference

Click to switch between question types and observe word order patterns:

W-Question Structure [Question Word + Verb + Subject]

Where do you live?

Question word occupies first position, finite verb is second idea, subject follows

Yes/No Question Structure [Verb + Subject + Other Elements]

Do you live in the hotel?

Finite verb moves to first position, no question word needed

Interrogative or 'W-questions' in Detail

Frequently Used Question Words

Click on any question word to see examples and usage notes:

wer? (who?)

Used to ask about people. Changes form by case: wer (nominative), wen (accusative), wem (dative).

Wer ist das? (Who is that?)

Wen hast du gesehen? (Whom did you see?)

was? (what?)

Used for things and concepts. Important: Do NOT use "was" when asking for names or addresses!

Was ist das? (What is that?)

Was machen Sie? (What are you doing?)

wo? (where? - static location)

Use wo when asking about a static location - where someone/something is located (no movement). Associated with dative case.

Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?)

Wo ist die Kirche? (Where is the church?)

Wo arbeiten Sie? (Where do you work? / For whom do you work?)

Common verbs with wo: sein (to be), liegen (to lie), stehen (to stand), wohnen (to live), hängen (to hang)

woher? (where from? - origin)

Use woher when asking about where someone/something is coming from (origin/source). Can be split: "Wo kommst du her?"

Woher kommen Sie? (Where do you come from?)

Woher kommst du gerade? (Where have you just come from?)

Common verbs with woher: kommen (to come), stammen (to originate), wissen (to know - "Woher weißt du das?")

wohin? (where to? - direction)

Use wohin when asking about direction or destination - where someone/something is going (movement involved). Associated with accusative case. Can be split: "Wo gehst du hin?"

Wohin fährt Juliane nächstes Wochenende? (Where is Juliane going next weekend?)

Wohin gehst du heute Abend? (Where are you going this evening?)

Common verbs with wohin: gehen (to go), fahren (to drive/travel), fliegen (to fly), laufen (to run/walk)

wann? (when?)

Asks about time.

Wann beginnt das Konzert? (When does the concert begin?)

Wann kommst du? (When are you coming?)

wie? (how?/what?)

Also used when asking for names, phone numbers, and addresses (NOT "was"!). Combines with other words for compound questions.

Wie heißen Sie? (What is your name? - lit. How are you called?)

Wie ist Ihre Telefonnummer? (What is your phone number?)

Wie ist Ihre E-Mail-Adresse? (What is your email address?)

Wie viel kostet das? (How much does it cost?)

Wie viele Einwohner hat Deutschland? (How many inhabitants does Germany have?)

Wie oft gehst du aus? (How often do you go out?)

Remember: It is incorrect to use "was" when asking for names or addresses!

warum? (why?)

Asks for reasons. Synonyms: wieso, weshalb

Warum lernst du Deutsch? (Why are you learning German?)

⚠️ Critical Distinction: Wo vs Woher vs Wohin

Wo = static location (Where is it?) Woher = origin/motion from (Where from?) Wohin = direction/motion to (Where to?)

Asking About Professions

The most common way to ask what somebody does for a living:

Was sind Sie von Beruf? (What do you do for a living? lit. What are you by profession?)

🔄 Yes and No Questions in Detail

Formation

The second type of question can be answered by a simple 'yes' or 'no'. It does not need a question word. Instead, the finite verb moves into the first position:

Statement: Peter kommt aus Berlin. (Peter comes from Berlin.)

Question: Kommt Peter aus Berlin? (Does Peter come from Berlin?)

The "English Do" Eliminator

German is much simpler than English! English often uses the verb 'do' to form questions. German simply moves the verb to the beginning.

German simply moves the finite verb to the beginning - no auxiliary "do" required!

Word Order Summary