Forming Questions — Fragen bilden (W‑Questions & Yes/No‑Questions)
📺 Instructional Video
An instructional video explaining this grammar topic with practical examples.
🎯 Lesson Goals
- Learn how to build W‑questions (who, what, where, etc.) in German.
- Understand the structure of yes/no questions.
- Practice turning statements into questions for everyday conversations.
📚 Core Rules
1️⃣ W‑Questions
A W‑question starts with an interrogative word, followed by the verb in verb‑first order, then the subject and the rest of the sentence.
| German interrogative | Arabic meaning |
|---|---|
| Wer? (who) | من؟ |
| Was? (what) | ما؟ |
| Wo? (where) | أين؟ |
| Wann? (when) | متى؟ |
| Wie? (how) | كيف؟ |
| Warum? (why) | لماذا؟ |
| Wohin? (to where) | إلى أين؟ |
| Woher? (from where) | من أين؟ |
Structure: W‑word + Verb + Subject + …
Example: Wer bist du? – Who are you?
2️⃣ Yes/No Questions
Simply place the finite verb at the beginning of the sentence, then follow with the subject and the rest.
- If the main verb is an auxiliary (sein, haben, modal verbs), it stays at the front.
- No inversion of subject and verb is needed beyond this first‑verb position.
Examples: - Bist du müde? – Are you tired? - Hast du Zeit? – Do you have time? - Kann er kommen? – Can he come?
✅ Example Sentences
| German sentence | Arabic translation |
|---|---|
| Wer kommt heute? | مَن يأتي اليوم؟ |
| Was machst du? | ما الذي تفعله؟ |
| Wo ist das Buch? | أين الكتاب؟ |
| Bist du glücklich? | هل النت سعيد؟ |
| Hast du Hunger? | هل لديك جعع ؟ |
📝 Interactive Exercises
✏️ Fill in the blank with the correct word: Write only one word in each field.
| # | Fill in the correct W‑word | Your answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ___ kommt aus Deutschland? | |
| 2 | ___ kostet das Buch? | |
| 3 | ___ ist die Schule? | |
| 4 | ___ beginnt die Stunde? | |
| 5 | ___ geht es dir? | |
| 6 | ___ lernst du Deutsch? |
✏️ Fill in the blank with the correct word: Write only one word in each field.
| # | Turn the statement into a Yes/No question | Your answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Du bist müde. | |
| 2 | Du hast einen Stift. | |
| 3 | Er kommt später. | |
| 4 | Wir gehen nach Hause. | |
| 5 | Ich kann schwimmen. | |
| 6 | Wir müssen lernen. |
📖 Related Lessons
✅ Summary
- W‑questions:
W‑word + Verb + Subject … - Yes/No questions:
Verb + Subject + … - Practice daily by turning statements you hear into questions.