Tutorial
In Course: German A2: Everyday Foundations

German A2: Indirect Spoken Questions

Learn to ask polite indirect questions in spoken German using common frames like 'Können Sie mir sagen...?' and 'Ich möchte wissen...'.

A vibrant, wide-angle photograph of a person asking for directions from a friendly local on a picturesque street in a German city. The local is pointing with a clear gesture, with charming historic buildings and a cobblestone street visible in the background, bathed in warm daylight.
en-GB → de-DE

Management & Tools

Deck Contents

12 Cards
Lesson#1
Sometimes, asking a direct question like 'Where is the station?' can sound a bit blunt. In German, as in English, it's often more polite to use an indirect question. This involves starting with a polite phrase, which then changes the word order of the question that follows.
Lesson#2
The key rule for these indirect questions is that they create a subordinate clause. This means the conjugated verb from the original question moves to the very end of the sentence. For example, the direct question 'Wo ist der Bahnhof?' becomes part of a larger, more polite question.
Lesson#3
A very common and polite way to ask for information is to use the frame 'Können Sie mir sagen,...', which means 'Can you tell me,...'. You follow this with a question word like 'wann' or 'wo', and remember to put the verb at the end. For example: 'Können Sie mir sagen, wo der Bahnhof ist?'
Quiz#4
Translate into German: 'Can you tell me where the station is?'

Können Sie mir sagen, wo der Bahnhof ist?

Quiz#5
Translate into German: 'Can you tell me when the train leaves?'

Können Sie mir sagen, wann der Zug abfährt?

Quiz#6
Translate into German: 'Can you tell me how I get to the cathedral?'

Können Sie mir sagen, wie ich zum Dom komme?

Login to View Content

Create a free account or log in to see all 12 cards and start studying this deck.

Learn German A2: Indirect Spoken Questions differently

Auracle is an audio-first learning platform built for busy people. Memorize anything without looking at a screen.

Hands-Free Learning

Listen, interact, and review cards entirely through audio. Perfect for commuting, walking, or at the gym.

Spaced Repetition

Auracle uses a scientific algorithm to schedule your reviews at the optimal time, ensuring you never forget what you learn.

Learn how it works

Ready to start the German A2: Indirect Spoken Questions audio deck?