Ja-/Nein-Fragen und W-Fragen mit Was?

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Asking Questions in German: A1 Grammar Guide

Do you want to speak German? You need to ask questions! In German, there are two main ways to ask a question: Ja-/Nein-Fragen (Yes/No Questions) and W-Fragen (W-Questions).

Here is a simple guide for beginners to learn both.

1. Ja-/Nein-Fragen (Yes / No Questions)

These are simple questions. The answer is always Ja (Yes) or Nein (No).

To make a Yes/No question, put the Verb in position 1 (at the start). Put the person or subject in position 2.

  • Sentence: Du bist müde. (You are tired.)

  • Question: Bist du müde? (Are you tired?)

More Examples:

  • Hast du Hunger? — Are you hungry?

  • Lernst du Deutsch? — Do you learn German?

  • Trinkst du Kaffee? — Do you drink coffee?

2. W-Fragen (W-Questions / Wh-Questions)

These questions help you get more information. They always start with a W-Word. In these questions, the Verb is in position 2.

Here are the most important German W-Words for beginners:

W-Word English Meaning Short Example
Wer Who Wer ist das? (Who is that?)
Was What Was ist das? (What is that?)
Wo Where Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?)
Wann When Wann kommt er? (When is he coming?)
Wie How Wie heißt du? (What is your name / How are you called?)
Warum Why Warum lernst du? (Why do you study?)

Key Pattern to Remember

For Yes/No Questions:

Verb (1) + Subject (2) …?

Example: Kommst du aus Berlin?

For W-Questions:

W-Word (1) + Verb (2) + Subject (3) …?

Example: Wo wohnst du?

Practice at Home!

Try to answer these two A1 questions in the comments below:

  1. Wie heißt du?

  2. Lernst du gerne Deutsch?

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