Yes/No Questions
How to form closed questions in German - just move the verb to first position.
Ja/Nein-Fragen (Yes/No questions) are closed questions that can be answered with 'Ja' (yes) or 'Nein' (no). Forming them is simple: move the conjugated verb to 1st position and the subject to 2nd position.
Statement: Du wohnst in Kurunegala.
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Subj Verb (2nd)
Question: Wohnst du in Kurunegala?
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Verb Subj
(1st) (2nd)
For questions with modal verbs:
Kann er Japanisch sprechen?
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Modal Subj (modal verb goes to 1st position)
Yes/No Questions - Examples
Wohnst du in Kurunegala?
Do you live in Kurunegala?
Ja, ich wohne in Kurunegala.
Yes, I live in Kurunegala.
Nein, ich wohne in Colombo.
No, I live in Colombo.
Lernen Sie Deutsch?
Are you learning German?
Spricht er Russisch?
Does he speak Russian?
Möchten Sie Pizza essen?
Would you like pizza?
Kann er Japanisch sprechen?
Can he speak Japanese?
Darf ich rein kommen?
May I come in?
Ist das Max?
Is this Max?
Kommst du aus Paris?
Are you from Paris?
Sind Sie Freunde?
Are you friends?
Fährt er heute nach Berlin?
Is he going to Berlin today?
Check your understanding
To form a yes/no question, you move the verb to position: