Nuts & Bolts of German (Explanations): Indirect questions (A2)

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?)

 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?)

 

 

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

 

direct question indirect question
Haben unsere Nachbarn eine Wärmepumpe gekauft?

(Did our neighbours buy a heat pump?)

 Können Sie mir sagen, ob unsere Nachbarn eine Wärmepumpe gekauft haben?

(Can you tell me whether our neighbours bought a heat pump?)