How to Ask for Someone's Opinion Politely in German
Learn elementary German phrases for asking what someone thinks, including formal and informal forms, with pronunciation and usage notes.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Asking for someone's opinion is one of the most useful conversation skills in German. This lesson teaches you how to invite another person's view politely, without yet giving your own opinion. You will learn the key verb denken (to think), the important difference between du and Sie, and a few natural alternatives such as Was hältst du davon? and Wie sehen Sie das? The focus is only on eliciting a response, so you can stop talking and listen.
By the end, you can…
- ask a friend or family member what they think in informal German.
- ask an adult, stranger or official what they think using polite Sie forms.
- choose between common question patterns such as Was denkst du? and Was hältst du davon?
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Was denkst du?
What do you think?
vas DENKST doo
Informal singular, used with friends, family, classmates and people you already address with du.
Was denken Sie?
What do you think?
vas DENK-en zee
Formal and polite, used with strangers, older people, officials and in professional situations.
Was hältst du davon?
What do you think of that? / What is your view on it?
vas HELTST doo da-FON
Informal and very common when asking about a specific plan, idea or proposal. The da- refers to something already mentioned.
Wie sehen Sie das?
How do you see it? / What is your view?
vee ZAY-en zee das
Formal and slightly more open than Was denken Sie? Useful in meetings or discussions.
Was meinen Sie dazu?
What do you think about it?
vas MY-nen zee da-TSOO
Formal, polite and common in work contexts. Dazu means 'about it' and points back to the topic.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Most polite opinion questions in German are W-questions. The question word comes first, then the verb, then the person: Was denkst du? / Was denken Sie? With a prepositional object, German often adds da-: Was hältst du davon? Was meinen Sie dazu? The verb changes with the subject: du denkst, Sie denken, du hältst, Sie meinen. Keep the verb in second position.
When to use it
Use du forms with friends, close colleagues, students and relatives. Use Sie forms with strangers, customers, teachers you address formally, and older people unless they offer du. Was denkst du? is short and neutral. Was hältst du davon? asks about a specific idea. Wie sehen Sie das? is softer and invites a longer answer. In Switzerland, standard German Sie and du are used in writing, but spoken Swiss German often differs; learners should follow the local variety they hear.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Wir planen ein Fest am Samstag. Was hältst du davon?
We are planning a party on Saturday. What do you think of that?veer PLAH-nen ine fest am ZAMS-tahk. vas HELTST doo da-FONDas klingt interessant. Wen wollen wir einladen?
That sounds interesting. Who do we want to invite?das KLINGT in-te-re-SANT. vayn VOL-en veer INE-lah-denGute Frage. Was denkst du?
Good question. What do you think?GOO-te FRAH-ge. vas DENKST dooIch frage später auch meine Nachbarn.
I will also ask my neighbours later.ikh FRAH-ge SHPAA-ter owkh MY-ne NAKH-barnA little context goes a long way
German politeness often comes from clear du/Sie choice rather than from adding many soft words. With Sie, a direct question such as Was denken Sie? is normal and not rude. With du, Was denkst du? is friendly and direct. In Austria and parts of southern Germany, Sie is standard in formal contexts, while du spreads faster in workplaces; follow the form the other person uses with you.
One thing to watch for
Using Was denkst du? with a stranger or official because it seems simpler.
Try this instead: Use the Sie form with strangers and officials: Was denken Sie? The du form can sound too familiar. If you are unsure, start with Sie and switch only if the other person says du.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask a friend informally, 'What do you think?'
Show a sample answer
Was denkst du?
This uses the informal du form and the verb denkst in second position. Was meinst du? is also correct in many informal situations.
2How do you ask your boss politely, 'What do you think about it?'
Show a sample answer
Was meinen Sie dazu?
This uses the formal Sie form and dazu to refer to the topic. Was denken Sie? is also correct, but dazu makes the reference clearer.
3Which phrase asks about a specific plan and means 'What do you think of that?'
Show a sample answer
Was hältst du davon?
This phrase uses halten plus davon and is very common for asking about a plan or idea. Was denkst du darüber? is a valid alternative.
Choose du or Sie first, then use a clear W-question: Was denkst du? for friends, Was denken Sie? or Was meinen Sie dazu? for polite situations.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s German into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr