---
title: "Negative Questions and doch — German grammar A2"
description: "Learn German negative questions, choose nein or doch correctly, and form negative yes/no questions in the perfect tense."
canonical: "https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/a2/negative-questions-and-doch"
lang: "en"
learning_language: "de"
cefr_level: "A2"
updated: "2026-07-10"
alternates:
  en: "https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/a2/negative-questions-and-doch.md"
  fr: "https://cefra.app/fr/explore/de/grammar/a2/negative-questions-and-doch.md"
  pl: "https://cefra.app/pl/explore/de/grammar/a2/negative-questions-and-doch.md"
  ru: "https://cefra.app/ru/explore/de/grammar/a2/negative-questions-and-doch.md"
---

# Negative Questions and doch

[Cefra](https://cefra.app/en.md) › [German](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de.md) › [Grammar](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar.md) › [A2](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/a2.md) › Negative Questions and doch

Learn to understand negative yes/no questions and answer them clearly with nein or doch. Also practise negative questions in the German perfect tense.

Last updated: July 10, 2026

## Negative questions and the answer **doch**

A negative yes/no question contains **nicht** or **kein-** and can express an expectation or surprise.

- Kommst du heute **nicht**?
- Hast du **keinen** Termin?

Word order follows other yes/no questions: the conjugated verb is in position 1.

## **Nein** or **doch**?

Use **nein** when the negative assumption is true: **Nein, ich trinke keinen Kaffee.** Use **doch** when you contradict it positively: **Doch, ich trinke Kaffee.**

Here **doch** means that the opposite of the negative assumption is true. A simple **ja** can be ambiguous after a negative question, so **doch** is the clear positive contradiction.

## Questions with **nicht** and **kein-**

Use **nicht** to negate an action, quality, or phrase. Use **kein-** before a noun that would have an indefinite article or no article. Check gender, number, and case with **kein-**.

## Negative questions in the perfect tense

Put **haben** or **sein** first, then the subject, while the past participle stays at the end. **Nicht** normally comes before the participle or directly before the phrase being negated.

- **Hast** du die Nachricht **nicht gelesen**?
- **Seid** ihr gestern **nicht gekommen**?
- **Hat** Amir **keinen Platz reserviert**?

Negation does not change the choice of auxiliary verb or the participle form: first choose both forms, then place the negation.

## Exercises

[Start practice](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/a2/negative-questions-and-doch/practice)

1. Choose the suitable reply. Confirm the negative assumption with nein or contradict it positively with doch. (10 tasks)
2. Contradict the negative question. Write a complete positive reply with doch. (10 tasks)
3. Use the cues to form a negative yes/no question in the German perfect tense. (10 tasks)