CEFR A1
What you will learn
- Recognise the pattern taught in “German questions: yes/no and question words” in a short example.
- Choose the appropriate form from “German questions: yes/no and question words” using explicit evidence.
- Apply and justify the rule from “German questions: yes/no and question words” in a new case.
Before you start
- Have studied “Verb-second: slots, not words”.
The idea
German does not add an auxiliary equivalent to do: a yes/no question begins with the finite verb; an information question begins with the interrogative element and places the verb after it.
For a ja/nein answer, use finite verb + subject + remainder: Wohnst du hier? Hat Lea Zeit? Kommen Sie morgen? The already conjugated verb changes position; German does not add a separate form of machen or tun.
To ask for information, use W-element + finite verb + subject + remainder: Wo wohnst du? Wann beginnt der Film? Wie heißt ihr? If the interrogative is itself the subject, no second subject follows: Wer wartet draußen?
There is no universal list of “only seven W-words”. A functional A1 repertoire includes wer for a person as subject, was for a thing, wo for static location, wohin for destination, woher for origin, wann for time, wie for manner or a detail, warum for cause and wie viel/wie viele for quantity. Welch- acts as a determiner and inflects: welcher Tag, welche Straße, welches Buch, welche Bücher.
wer also changes by function: nominative wer, accusative wen, dative wem; possessive wessen is an extension. At A1 it is enough to recognize that the form depends on case, without claiming that wer is the only changing interrogative.
Yes/no question
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| 1 | finite verb |
| 2 | subject |
| 3 | rest |
W-question
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| 1 | question word |
| 2 | finite verb |
| 3 | subject, unless it is the question word |
| 4 | rest |
wer by case
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| nominative | wer |
| accusative | wen |
| dative | wem |
| possessive | wessen (extension) |
welch in the nominative
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| masculine | welcher |
| feminine | welche |
| neuter | welches |
| plural | welche |
How it sounds
- Arbeitet Niko heute? — Ja.The yes/no question begins with finite arbeitet.
- Woher kommt Farah? — Aus Rabat.woher asks for an origin, not a static location.
- Welche Farbe magst du? — Grün.welche accompanies Farbe and takes the matching form.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “Wen” for this case: “Wen kommt aus Salzburg?”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “Wo” for this case: “Wo kommt aus Salzburg?”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Wer — The question asks for the person doing kommen, so the subject form is wer.
The question asks for the person doing kommen, so the subject form is wer.
Answer: Wer — The question asks for the person doing kommen, so the subject form is wer.
The question asks for the person doing kommen, so the subject form is wer.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “Wer” for this case: “Wer kaufst du auf dem Markt?”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “Woher” for this case: “Woher kaufst du auf dem Markt?”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Was — The expected answer is a thing being bought; was asks about things.
The expected answer is a thing being bought; was asks about things.
Answer: Was — The expected answer is a thing being bought; was asks about things.
The expected answer is a thing being bought; was asks about things.
Check objective 3Another case
A proposed answer is “Wohin” for this case: “Wohin fährt der Zug? — Um acht Uhr.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “Wie viele” for this case: “Wie viele fährt der Zug? — Um acht Uhr.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Wann — Um acht Uhr expresses time, so the appropriate question word is wann.
Um acht Uhr expresses time, so the appropriate question word is wann.
Answer: Wann — Um acht Uhr expresses time, so the appropriate question word is wann.
Um acht Uhr expresses time, so the appropriate question word is wann.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
- To contradict a negative question you say doch, not ja.Kommst du nicht mit? – Doch!
- With nicht wahr at the end, a statement becomes a question without changing the order.Du kommst mit, nicht wahr?
- welcher declines like the article, because it goes with a noun.Welchen Film willst du sehen?
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Tust du mitkommen?
Right Kommst du mit?
English needs the auxiliary do to build a question, and the habit is to look for a German equivalent. There is none: tun is a real verb and never an auxiliary here.
Challenge: apply every rule
Solve every case and justify each choice: 1) A proposed answer is “Wen” for this case: “Wen kommt aus Salzburg?”. Choose the only valid form. 2) A proposed answer is “Wer” for this case: “Wer kaufst du auf dem Markt?”. Choose the only valid form. 3) A proposed answer is “Wohin” for this case: “Wohin fährt der Zug? — Um acht Uhr.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
- Recognise the pattern taught in “German questions: yes/no and question words” in a short example.
- Choose the appropriate form from “German questions: yes/no and question words” using explicit evidence.
- Apply and justify the rule from “German questions: yes/no and question words” in a new case.
Answer: Wer · Was · Wann
The question asks for the person doing kommen, so the subject form is wer. The expected answer is a thing being bought; was asks about things. Um acht Uhr expresses time, so the appropriate question word is wann.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- CEFR A1 · ask and answer simple questions about personal details and concrete needs; the formal inventory is editorial · Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Companion Volume
- German interrogative elements cross-checked against language-specific reference description · Reference Level Descriptions developed so far
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: Asking questions in German: no auxiliary, and the seven W-wordsGerman numbers A1: building blocks, order and irregular forms