Interrogative sentence - Vraagzin

Questions with a question word

Yes/no-question

Click here for self-correcting exercises on interrogative sentences.
As in many other languages, questions in Dutch can be formed by using question words (who?, why?, where?) or by turning a declarative sentence into an interrogative (i.e. question).

Questions with a question word

The most commonly used question words in Dutch are listed below.

 

wie
Wie ben jij?
who(m)
Who are you?
wat
Wat studeer je in Hull?
what
What do you study in Hull?
waarom
Waarom studeer jij Nederlands?
why
Why do you study Dutch?
waar
Waar is het ICIR?
where
Where is the International Office?
wanneer
Wanneer gaan we?
when
When are we going?
welk(e)
Welk zusje studeert medicijnen?
Welke jas is van jou?
which/what
Which sister studies medicine?
Which coat is yours?
hoe
Hoe gaat het met jou?
how
How are you?


Note the use of welk(e): we use welk before a het-word, and welke before a de-word (including plurals). It acts like an adjective in this way. See also question words.

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Yes/no-question

The second way of constructing a question is to use a yes/no question: questions to which the answer can be either yes or no. In this type of question, the ‘normal' word order of a declarative sentence (where the subject appears in the first place and the verb in the second) is reversed. In yes/no questions, the verb is placed in the first position and the subject will comes second (see also inversion):

 

Ik kan je helpen.
I can help you.
®
Kan ik je helpen?
Can I help you?
Jullie werken ook.
You (plural) work too.
®
Werken jullie ook?
Do you work too?

 

Note that when jij/je follows the verb, only the stem of the verb is used:

Jij komt uit Colchester. ® Kom jij uit Colchester?

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Click here to read more about interrogative sentences in the Advanced Dutch Grammar.