This key facts covers Answering: ja / nein / doch within Forming questions: verb-first and W-questions for GCSE German. Revise Forming questions: verb-first and W-questions in Question Words and Role-Play Formulas for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 6 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
✅ Answering: ja / nein / doch
- ja = yes
- nein = no
- doch = yes (when contradicting a negative question): "Kommst du nicht?" — "Doch!" (Yes, I am!)
Annotated examples
Hast du Geschwister? — Ja, ich habe einen Bruder.
Do you have any siblings? — Yes, I have a brother.
- Hast = verb first → this is a yes/no question
- The answer keeps V2 word order: ich habe (subject, then verb in second position)
Wann stehst du am Wochenende auf? — Ich stehe um zehn Uhr auf.
When do you get up at the weekend? — I get up at ten o'clock.
- Wann … auf = a W-question with a separable verb; the prefix auf wraps round to the end (the Satzklammer)
- The answer mirrors the structure: Ich stehe … auf keeps the prefix at the end too
Practice questions for Forming questions: verb-first and W-questions
In a German yes/no question (with no question word), where does the verb go?
Which is the correct German yes/no question for 'Do you live in Berlin?'