The verb moves to the front
Take a statement and put the conjugated verb first. The subject follows it, and nothing else changes. English adds do or does (Do you work?); German does not.
Statement to question
Statement and question
Du kommst heute.
You're coming today.
Kommst du heute?
Are you coming today?
Sie wohnt in Hamburg.
She lives in Hamburg.
Wohnt sie in Hamburg?
Does she live in Hamburg?
The voice rises at the end of a yes/no question, as in English: Bist du müde?
Answers: ja, nein and doch
To a normal question you answer ja or nein. To a question with nicht or kein, English yes can mean two things. German keeps them apart: doch means yes, it is (against the negative), nein means no, it isn't.
Which answer word
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Kommst du? | Ja, ich komme. | Nein, ich komme nicht. |
| Kommst du nicht? | Doch, ich komme. | Nein, ich komme nicht. |
doch in a dialogue
A
Hast du keine Zeit?
Don't you have time?
B
Doch, ich habe Zeit.
Yes, I do have time.
Questions you can use today
Hast du kurz Zeit?
Do you have a moment?
Sprechen Sie Englisch?
Do you speak English?
Ist dieser Platz frei?
Is this seat free?
Hast du Hunger?
Are you hungry?
Verstehst du mich?
Do you understand me?
Ist das richtig?
Is that correct?
