If you’ve learned how to ask questions in German, you probably know the basics: move the verb to the front.
Wo ist der Bahnhof? - Where is the train station?
Wann kommt der Zug? - When does the train arrive?
But what happens when you want to make these questions more polite, or fit them into a longer sentence? That’s where indirect questions come in.
Direct vs. indirect questions
A direct question stands on its own:
Wann fährt der Bus ab? - When does the bus leave?
An indirect question embeds the question inside another sentence, often with a phrase like kannst du mir sagen, weißt du, or ich möchte wissen.
Kannst du mir sagen, wann der Bus abfährt? - Can you tell me when the bus leaves?
Notice what happens: in the indirect form, the verb goes to the end of the clause.
Word order is the key
In indirect questions, the “question word” (wann, wo, wie, etc.) still comes at the start of the clause. But instead of the verb coming second, it moves to the end.
Examples:
Ich weiß nicht, wo er wohnt. - I don’t know where he lives.
Kannst du mir sagen, wie spät es ist? - Can you tell me what time it is?
Sie fragt, warum er nicht gekommen ist. - She asks why he didn’t come.
A typical error is keeping the verb in second position, as in direct questions:
Kannst du mir sagen, wann kommt der Bus? - Incorrect
The correct form is:
Kannst du mir sagen, wann der Bus kommt?
What if there is no question word?
In yes/no questions, English uses “if” or “whether”. German uses ob.
Examples:
Weißt du, ob er kommt? - Do you know if he’s coming?
Ich frage mich, ob das stimmt. - I wonder if that’s true.
Again, the verb goes right to the end.
Indirect questions come up all the time in German - whether you’re asking for information politely, writing an email, or just softening your tone. Mastering the word order will help you sound more natural and respectful in everyday life.
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