Asking Questions in Dutch (A1)

There are two main ways to form questions in Dutch:

1. Yes/No Questions (Inversion)

To turn a statement into a yes/no question, you simply swap the subject and the conjugated verb (inversion).

• Statement: Jij woont in Utrecht. (You live in Utrecht.)
• Question: Woon jij in Utrecht? (Do you live in Utrecht?)
• Structure: Verb - Subject - (Rest)?

• Statement: Hij spreekt Nederlands. (He speaks Dutch.)
• Question: Spreekt hij Nederlands? (Does he speak Dutch?)

• Statement: Zij zijn studenten. (They are students.)
• Question: Zijn zij studenten? (Are they students?)

Note: If the subject is jij or je, the -t ending is dropped from the verb in the question form (e.g., woont -> woon jij?).

2. Questions with Question Words (Wie, Wat, Waar, etc.)

These questions ask for specific information.

• Structure: Question Word - Verb - Subject - (Rest)?

• Wat eet je? (What do you eat?)
• Question Word: Wat (What)
• Verb: eet (eat)
• Subject: je (you)

• Waar woont hij? (Where does he live?)
• Question Word: Waar (Where)
• Verb: woont (lives)
• Subject: hij (he)

• Wie is dat? (Who is that?)
• Question Word: Wie (Who)
• Verb: is (is)
• Subject: dat (that)

• Hoe laat is het? (What time is it? - lit. How late is it?)
• Question Word: Hoe laat (How late / What time)
• Verb: is (is)
• Subject: het (it)