---
title: "Indirect Questions — German grammar B1"
description: "Learn German indirect questions with wh-words and ob: verb-final order, perfect tense, modal verbs, polite phrases, and punctuation."
canonical: "https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/b1/german-indirect-questions"
lang: "en"
learning_language: "de"
cefr_level: "B1"
updated: "2026-07-11"
alternates:
  en: "https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/b1/german-indirect-questions.md"
  fr: "https://cefra.app/fr/explore/de/grammar/b1/german-indirect-questions.md"
  pl: "https://cefra.app/pl/explore/de/grammar/b1/german-indirect-questions.md"
  ru: "https://cefra.app/ru/explore/de/grammar/b1/german-indirect-questions.md"
---

# Indirect Questions

[Cefra](https://cefra.app/en.md) › [German](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de.md) › [Grammar](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar.md) › [B1](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/b1.md) › Indirect Questions

Learn to report German wh-questions and yes/no questions as subordinate clauses. Practise question words or ob, verb-final order, and polite introductory phrases.

Last updated: July 11, 2026

## Indirect questions as subordinate clauses

Indirect questions report a question instead of asking it directly. They often follow **Ich weiß nicht ...**, **Können Sie mir sagen ...?**, **Sie möchte wissen ...**, or **Wir fragen uns ...**.

### Wh-questions

Keep the original question word:

| Direct question              | Indirect question                                    |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| Wo arbeitet Amir?            | Ich weiß nicht, **wo Amir arbeitet**.                |
| Wann ist der Kurs zu Ende?   | Können Sie mir sagen, **wann der Kurs zu Ende ist**? |
| Mit wem hat Lea telefoniert? | Er fragt, **mit wem Lea telefoniert hat**.           |

### Yes/no questions

If there is no question word, introduce the indirect question with **ob** (“whether/if”):

| Direct question           | Indirect question                                 |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Ist der Laden noch offen? | Ich weiß nicht, **ob der Laden noch offen ist**.  |
| Hat Nora reserviert?      | Er fragt, **ob Nora reserviert hat**.             |
| Kann man hier bezahlen?   | Sie möchte wissen, **ob man hier bezahlen kann**. |

Do not use **wenn** for an indirect yes/no question.

### Word order

An indirect question is a subordinate clause, so the conjugated verb goes to the end: **wo der Bus hält**, **ob die Gäste angekommen sind**, **wann wir losfahren müssen**. In the perfect tense the auxiliary is last; with a modal construction, the infinitive comes before the final modal verb. Separate the main clause and indirect question with a comma.

### Punctuation

Use a question mark only when the whole main clause is a question:

- Ich weiß nicht, wann das Büro öffnet.
- Können Sie mir sagen, wann das Büro öffnet?

### Quick choice

Keep a question word if there is one; otherwise use **ob**. Put the finite verb last—the auxiliary in the perfect tense or the modal after its infinitive—and choose punctuation according to the main clause.

## Exercises

[Start practice](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/b1/german-indirect-questions/practice)

1. Rewrite the direct question as a complete indirect-question sentence. (10 tasks)
2. Arrange the words into a correct indirect question. Keep the conjugated verb at the end of the subordinate clause. (10 tasks)
3. Choose the grammatically correct indirect question. (10 tasks)