Yes/No questions (Ja/Nein-Fragen) are among the easiest question types in German. They are used to confirm information, check details, or simply keep a conversation going. The key rule is inversion — putting the verb first.
Once you learn this basic pattern, you can build unlimited questions at the A1 level.
What is a Yes/No question in German?
A Yes/No question is a question that can be answered simply with:
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ja (yes)
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nein (no)
These questions do not start with a W-word (what, where, why, etc.). Instead, they always begin with the verb.
Examples:
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Kommst du heute? – Are you coming today?
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Hast du Zeit? – Do you have time?
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Arbeitet er hier? – Does he work here?
What is the inversion rule for Yes/No questions?
The basic formula is:
Verb → Subject → Rest of the sentence
This is the opposite of a normal statement.
Compare:
Statement:
→ Du lernst Deutsch. (Subject first)
Question:
→ Lernst du Deutsch? (Verb first)
This inversion is used for every Yes/No question in German.
How do you form Yes/No questions with regular verbs?
Take the conjugated verb and move it to the front.
Verb: spielen (to play)
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Spielst du Fußball? – Do you play football?
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Spielt er Klavier? – Does he play piano?
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Spielt ihr heute? – Are you (all) playing today?
The verb stays in position 1, the subject moves right after it.
How do you form Yes/No questions with irregular verbs?
The rule is the same — verb first, then subject.
Verb: haben (to have)
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Hast du Zeit? – Do you have time?
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Hat er ein Auto? – Does he have a car?
Verb: sein (to be)
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Bist du müde? – Are you tired?
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Ist sie hier? – Is she here?
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Sind wir spät? – Are we late?
No matter the verb type → inversion stays the same.
How do you form Yes/No questions with separable verbs?
Separable verbs also follow inversion. The prefix goes to the end, but the conjugated verb stays first.
Verb: aufstehen (to get up)
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Stehst du früh auf? – Do you get up early?
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Steht ihr morgen auf? – Are you (all) getting up tomorrow?
Only the base verb moves to the front.
How do time or place expressions affect Yes/No questions?
They do not change word order.
Examples:
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Kommst du heute? – Are you coming today?
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Arbeitest du morgen hier? – Are you working here tomorrow?
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Wohnst du in Berlin?
The verb always stays in position 1.
How do you answer Yes/No questions in German?
You can respond with:
ja – yes
- Hast du Hunger?
→ Ja.
nein – no
- Wohnst du hier?
→ Nein.
doch – yes, I do (to contradict a negative question)
- Kommst du nicht?
→ Doch! (Yes, I am!)
Doch is very common and very useful in German conversation.
What are the most common mistakes beginners make?
❌ Starting with the subject
Wrong: Du lernst Deutsch?
Correct: Lernst du Deutsch?
❌ Using English word order
Wrong: Machst du morgen was? (acceptable in speech but not ideal)
Correct: Machst du morgen etwas?
❌ Putting time first
Wrong: Heute lernst du Deutsch? → sounds like a statement
Correct: Lernst du heute Deutsch?
❌ Forgetting verb conjugation
Wrong: Lernen du Deutsch?
Correct: Lernst du Deutsch?
What simple formulas help you build Yes/No questions?
Formula 1 — For regular verbs
Verb + Subject + Rest
→ Spielst du Fußball?
Formula 2 — For sein/haben
Verb + Subject + Info
→ Bist du müde?
→ Hast du Zeit?
Formula 3 — With time/place
Verb + Subject + Time/Place
→ Arbeitest du morgen?
→ Wohnst du hier?
Practice: Form your own Yes/No questions
1. Rewrite as Yes/No questions
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Du wohnst hier. → ___ du hier?
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Er arbeitet heute. → ___ er heute?
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Ihr spielt Fußball. → ___ ihr Fußball?
Answers:
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Wohnst du hier?
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Arbeitet er heute?
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Spielt ihr Fußball?
2. Fill in the missing verb
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___ du Deutsch? (lernen)
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___ er ein Auto? (haben)
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___ ihr müde? (sein)
Answers:
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Lernst du Deutsch?
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Hat er ein Auto?
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Seid ihr müde?
3. Choose the better question
a) Du kommst morgen?
b) Kommst du morgen?
Correct: b
FAQ
Is the verb always first in Yes/No questions?
Yes — always.
Do I need special endings for questions?
No, use the normal present tense endings.
Can I start a Yes/No question with “du/er/sie”?
No. The verb must be first.
How do I contradict a negative question?
Use doch.
Example:
Kommst du nicht? → Doch!
