German for Beginners: Forming Yes/No Questions with Regular Verbs
Learn to build simple yes/no questions in German by changing word order, and answer them naturally with ja, nein, and doch.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In German, you do not need a helping verb like English 'do' or 'are' to ask a yes/no question. Instead, you move the conjugated verb to the first position. This single word-order rule lets you turn statements into questions: 'Du bist bereit' becomes 'Bist du bereit?' and 'Du magst Tee' becomes 'Magst du Tee?'. This lesson teaches that pattern, plus natural short answers with ja, nein, and the special German word doch.
By the end, you can…
- turn a simple German statement into a yes/no question by putting the verb first.
- answer yes/no questions naturally with ja, nein, and doch.
- ask and answer questions about readiness, likes, and everyday needs.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Bist du bereit?
Are you ready?
bist doo buh-RITE
Use with one person you know well (du). The verb bist comes first.
Magst du Tee?
Do you like tea?
mahkst doo tay
Asks about a like or preference. No word for 'do' is needed.
Sprichst du Deutsch?
Do you speak German?
shprikhst doo doych
The verb sprichst changes its vowel from sprechen. Use with du.
Hast du Zeit?
Do you have time?
hahst doo tsyte
A very common everyday question. The verb hast comes first.
Möchten Sie einen Kaffee?
Would you like a coffee?
MURKH-ten zee EYE-nen KAH-fay
Polite form with Sie, used with strangers, older people, or in service situations.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To make a yes/no question, put the conjugated verb at the very beginning, then the subject. Statement: 'Du bist bereit.' Question: 'Bist du bereit?' Statement: 'Sie mag Tee.' Question: 'Mag sie Tee?' The verb is always in position one, and the subject follows immediately. There is no German equivalent of English 'do' or 'are' as a separate question word.
When to use it
Use this pattern for any simple yes/no question: 'Ist das dein Buch?' (Is that your book?), 'Kommst du morgen?' (Are you coming tomorrow?), 'Habt ihr Hunger?' (Are you hungry?). For polite situations, use Sie: 'Sind Sie Frau Weber?' For friends, family, and people your age, use du: 'Bist du müde?' The verb ending must match the subject: ich bin, du bist, er/sie/es ist, wir sind, ihr seid, sie/Sie sind.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Bist du bereit?
Are you ready?bist doo buh-RYTEJa, ich bin bereit.
Yes, I am ready.yah, ikh bin buh-RITEMagst du Tee?
Do you like tea?mahkst doo tayNein, aber ich mag Kaffee.
No, but I like coffee.nine, AH-ber ikh mahk KAH-fayA little context goes a long way
German has a third answer word, 'doch', used to contradict a negative question. If someone asks 'Magst du keinen Tee?' (Don't you like tea?), answer 'Doch' to mean 'Yes, I do.' In southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, greetings like 'Grüß Gott' or 'Servus' are common alongside 'Hallo', but the question pattern stays the same.
One thing to watch for
Adding a German word for 'do', as in 'Do du magst Tee?'
Try this instead: German has no equivalent of English 'do' in questions. Simply move the verb to the front: 'Magst du Tee?' Never add 'do' or 'tun' as a helping verb.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Turn 'Du bist müde' into a yes/no question.
Show a sample answer
Bist du müde?
The conjugated verb 'bist' moves to position one, and the subject 'du' follows. This is the standard pattern for yes/no questions.
2How do you answer 'Magst du Tee?' if you do like tea?
Show a sample answer
Ja, ich mag Tee.
'Ja' confirms the positive question. You can also answer simply 'Ja' or 'Ja, gern' (Yes, gladly).
3Someone asks 'Hast du keinen Hunger?' and you actually are hungry. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Doch, ich habe Hunger.
'Doch' contradicts a negative question and means 'Yes, I do.' 'Ja' would be confusing here because the question contains 'keinen'.
To ask a yes/no question in German, put the conjugated verb first, then the subject. Answer with ja, nein, or doch, and never add a helping verb like English 'do'.
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