Interrogatives

When asking a question remember to keep the verb as the second idea in your sentence. Visit the Verb second Revision Bite to learn more.

In some cases this is the case in English but not always – look at the word-for-word English versions.

• Der Film beginnt but Wann beginnt der Film? When begins the film?
• Ich muß warten but Warum muß ich warten? Why must I wait?
• Das Schloss ist (hier) but Wo ist das Schloss? Where is the castle?

 

Useful vocabulary: interrogatives

Interrogative	Translation
was	What
welch-er, -e, -es	Which
warum	Why
wo	Where
woher	Where from
wohin	Where to
wie	How
wie alt	How old
wie lange	How long
wie oft	How often
wieviel/wie viele	How much/many
wann	When
um wieviel Uhr	At what time
wer	Who
wen	Whom
wessen	Whose

 

Asking questions without interrogatives

You can ask a question without an interrogative by placing the verb at the front.

 

Avoid interrogatives by placing verb at the front

Verb in use	Verb at front	Translation
Du kannst tanzen	Kannst du tanzen?	Can you dance?
Sie ist deine Freundin	Ist sie deine Freundin?	Is she your girlfriend?
Du hast einen Kuli	Hast du einen Kuli?	Have you a pen?
Er besucht seine Oma	Besucht er seine Oma?	Does he visit his granny? (Visits he his granny?)
Du gehst schwimmen	Gehst du schwimmen?	Do you go swimming? (Go you swimming?)

 

Common mistakes made by English speakers

• Mixing up wo (where) and wer (who).
• Making questions with an over-complicated structure (like English).