The idea
Find the conjugated German verb and move it first in a yes/no question. Keep its person ending and leave the object in place.
One contrast, not a prediction about every learner
English often adds do or does to ordinary present-tense questions. German usually moves the existing finite verb before the subject instead; an extra tun is not needed in neutral standard usage. Regional tun constructions exist, so this is a standard-language comparison.
Individual experience, dialect and other languages you know can change which comparisons help. Use the contrast to notice a German choice; do not treat it as a label for a whole group of people.
Repair the transfer
Tust du den Fahrplan lesen?Liest du den Fahrplan?Find the conjugated German verb and move it first in a yes/no question. Keep its person ending and leave the object in place.
Examples
- Liest du den neuen Fahrplan schon?Are you already reading the new timetable?
- Braucht eure Gruppe einen zweiten Tisch?Does your group need a second table?
- Wohnt Lara noch neben der Bibliothek?Does Lara still live next to the library?
- Arbeitet ihr am Samstag im Garten?Do you work in the garden on Saturday?
- Versteht der Gast die letzte Durchsage?Does the guest understand the last announcement?
- Kennt deine Schwester diesen kleinen Laden?Does your sister know this little shop?
Read-aloud uses a synthetic German voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No German device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
Do not generalize a source-language pattern to every German sentence. Find the conjugated German verb and move it first in a yes/no question. Keep its person ending and leave the object in place.
Try it yourself
Korrigiere: Tust du den Fahrplan lesen?
Show answer or example answer
Liest du den Fahrplan?
Liest du den Fahrplan? Find the conjugated German verb and move it first in a yes/no question. Keep its person ending and leave the object in place.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: Are you already reading the new timetable?
Show answer or example answer
Liest du den neuen Fahrplan schon?
Liest du den neuen Fahrplan schon? Find the conjugated German verb and move it first in a yes/no question. Keep its person ending and leave the object in place.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: Does the guest understand the last announcement?
Show answer or example answer
Versteht der Gast die letzte Durchsage?
Versteht der Gast die letzte Durchsage? Keep the meaning of the whole sentence while using the German pattern.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
Korrigiere: Tust du den Fahrplan lesen?
Liest du den Fahrplan?
Ins Deutsche übertragen: Are you already reading the new timetable?
Liest du den neuen Fahrplan schon?
Ins Deutsche übertragen: Does the guest understand the last announcement?
Versteht der Gast die letzte Durchsage?
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Write three German sentences of your own that follow the pattern of “Liest du den Fahrplan?”. Check each one for the English habit this lesson corrects, then read them aloud.