Nuts & Bolts of German (Explanations): Indirect questions (Business German)

An indirect question incorporates an introduction to the actual question. The question itself is a subordinate clause, i.e. the interrogative word (was, wer, wo, wohin etc.) functions like a subordinating conjunction and the conjugated verb moves to the end of the clause.

 

direct question indirect question
Wie spät ist es?

(What time is it?)

 

Wann findet der Vortrag statt?

(When is the presentation going to take place?)

 

Wer hat das veranlasst?

(Who arranged that?)

 Wissen Sie, wie spät es ist?

(Do you know what time it is?)

 

Können Sie mir sagen, wann der Vortrag stattfindet?

(Can you tell me when the presentation is going to take place?)

 

Können Sie mir mitteilen, wer das veranlasst hat?

(Can you let me know who arranged that?)

 

 

Indirect yes/no-questions take "ob" ( = if, whether) as a subordinating conjunction.

 

direct question indirect question
Werden die Waren morgen abgeschickt?

(Will the goods be dispatched tomorrow?)

 Können Sie mir sagen, ob die Waren morgen abgeschickt werden?

(Can you tell me whether the goods will be dispatched tomorrow?)