Yes/no questions

Finite verb in position 1:

• Kommst du heute?
• Hast du Zeit?

W-questions

W-word in position 1, finite verb in position 2:

• Wann kommst du?
• Warum lernst du Deutsch?

Negated statements

Keep normal V2 order, then place nicht by meaning:

• Ich komme nicht heute.
• Ich habe kein Auto.

Practice

Take one simple sentence and transform it into (1) yes/no, (2) W-question, (3) negated sentence.

Practical Examples

1. Kommst du heute?

• English: Are you coming today?
• Usage Note: In a yes/no question, the verb always stands at the very beginning of the sentence.

1. Ich komme heute.

• English: I am coming today.
• Usage Note: In a simple statement, the conjugated verb always occupies the second position.

1. Ist das dein Buch?

• English: Is that your book?
• Usage Note: For yes/no questions, the verb moves to the first position.

1. Das ist mein Buch.

• English: That is my book.
• Usage Note: In a statement, even if the subject is not first, the verb remains in the second position.

1. Ich komme heute nicht.

• English: I am not coming today.
• Usage Note: To negate an action or the whole sentence, "nicht" usually comes at the end or after the verb/object.

1. Das ist nicht mein Buch.

• English: That is not my book.
• Usage Note: "Nicht" negates the predicate (what is being said about the subject) and often comes before the part it negates.

1. Hast du Hunger?

• English: Are you hungry?
• Usage Note: Another example of a yes/no question where the verb starts the sentence.

1. Ich habe keinen Hunger.

• English: I am not hungry (literally: I have no hunger).
• Usage Note: Use "kein" (or its declensions like "keinen") to negate a noun, similar to "no" or "not a/an" in English.

1. Wir lernen Deutsch.

• English: We are learning German.
• Usage Note: Standard statement structure with the verb in the second position.

1. Wir lernen nicht Französisch.

• English: We are not learning French.
• Usage Note: "Nicht" negates the specific object "Französisch" in this context.

1. Arbeitest du morgen?

• English: Are you working tomorrow?
• Usage Note: Verb-first structure for a direct yes/no question.

1. Nein, ich arbeite morgen nicht.

• English: No, I am not working tomorrow.
• Usage Note: The verb is in the second position in the statement, and "nicht" negates the action.

1. Er hat keine Zeit.

• English: He doesn't have time.
• Usage Note: "Keine" is used to negate the feminine noun "Zeit" (time).

1. Sie spricht gut Deutsch.

• English: She speaks German well.
• Usage Note: Simple statement with the verb in the second position.

1. Sie spricht nicht gut Deutsch.

• English: She doesn't speak German well.
• Usage Note: "Nicht" negates the adverb "gut" (well), indicating the manner of speaking is not good.