Embedded Questions
Indirect questions (e.g., 'I don't know where he is') turn direct questions into polite or descriptive subordinate clauses. The key change is moving the conjugated verb to the very end of the clause.
How It Works
Indirect questions are used to be more polite, express uncertainty, or report what someone else asked. They consist of a main clause and a subordinate clause.
1. The Structure
The main clause contains a 'trigger' verb like wissen (to know), fragen (to ask), or erklären (to explain). The subordinate clause then provides the information being questioned.
2. Word Order
This is the most important rule: the conjugated verb moves from the second position to the end of the sentence. If you have separable verbs, the prefix reattaches to the verb at the end (e.g., aufsteht).
3. W-Questions vs. Yes/No Questions
- W-Questions: Use the existing question word (wer, wie, wo, etc.).
Direct: Wo ist er? -> Indirect: Ich weiß nicht, wo er ist. - Yes/No Questions: Use the conjunction ob (whether/if).
Direct: Kommt er? -> Indirect: Ich frage mich, ob er kommt.
4. Punctuation
Always use a comma to separate the main clause from the indirect question. A question mark is only used if the main clause itself is a question (e.g., 'Can you tell me...?').
Examples (4)
- Können Sie mir sagen, wie spät es ist?
Can you tell me what time it is?
Word by Word: Can you me tell, how late it is?
A polite indirect question using 'wie'. Note that the verb 'ist' moves to the end.
- Ich weiß nicht, ob er heute kommt.
I don't know if he is coming today.
Word by Word: I know not, whether he today comes.
A yes/no question converted using 'ob'. The verb 'kommt' is at the end.
- Er fragt, wann der Zug abfährt.
He is asking when the train departs.
Word by Word: He asks, when the train departs.
Note how the separable prefix 'ab-' reattaches to 'fährt' at the end of the clause.
- Es ist unklar, wer das Fenster kaputt gemacht hat.
It is unclear who broke the window.
Word by Word: It is unclear, who the window broken made has.
In compound tenses like the Perfekt, the auxiliary verb (hat) goes to the very end.
Common Mistakes
Using direct question word order (V2) in the subordinate clause.
Ich weiß nicht, wo ist der Bahnhof.Ich weiß nicht, wo der Bahnhof ist.In German subordinate clauses, the verb must go to the end. You cannot keep the 'Verb-Second' order used in direct questions.
Using 'wenn' instead of 'ob' for 'if/whether'.
Ich frage mich, wenn es regnet.Ich frage mich, ob es regnet.Use 'ob' for indirect questions (whether). 'Wenn' is only for conditional 'if' (e.g., 'If it rains, I stay home') or 'when'.
Forgetting the mandatory comma.
Weißt du wer das ist?Weißt du, wer das ist?German requires a comma to separate the main clause from any subordinate clause, including indirect questions.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn indirect questions, you need to understand how to form subordinate clauses where the verb moves to the end. You also need to be familiar with question words (like 'wo', 'wer', 'wann') and the conjunction 'ob' (whether), as these elements introduce the embedded question.
- Verb-Final In Subordinate Clauses
Indirect questions are a type of subordinate clause, so the learner must understand that the conjugated verb moves to the end of the sentence.
Level 2 - obWhether (Ob)
The conjunction 'ob' is specifically used to introduce indirect yes/no questions.
Level 2 - wo/wohin/woherWhere/To Where/From Where
Question words (W-words) serve as the introductory element for indirect open-ended questions.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- dassThat (Dass)
While 'ob' introduces uncertainty, 'dass' introduces factual statements in a similar subordinate structure.
Level 2 - wennIf/When (Wenn)
Learners often confuse 'wenn' (conditional) with 'ob' (interrogative) when translating the English word 'if'.
Level 2 - Verb-Second Word Order
Direct questions use V2 or V1 order, which contrasts with the verb-final order of indirect questions.
Level 2 - Separable Verbs
Separable verbs behave differently in indirect questions because the prefix must reattach at the end of the clause.
Level 2
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Practice Embedded Questions in Bubblegum
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