Kun je me vertellen waar het station is?
English: Can you tell me where the station is?
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Negatie, vragen en speciale constructies
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Indirect questions in Dutch are sentences where you ask for information in a polite or indirect way, often inside another sentence. The word order changes compared to direct questions.
When to use it
Use indirect questions in Dutch when you want to ask something politely, report a question, or are unsure about something. They are common in formal situations or when you don't want to sound too direct.
Key forms
- Introduce with words like: of, wat, waar, wanneer, hoe, waarom, wie
- No inversion: the verb goes to the end of the clause
- No question mark at the end
Examples
Ik weet niet of hij thuis is.
English: I don't know if he is at home.
Ze vraagt wanneer de trein vertrekt.
English: She asks when the train leaves.
Weet je hoe laat het is?
English: Do you know what time it is?
Tips
- In indirect questions, the verb goes to the end of the sentence.
- Do not use a question mark at the end of an indirect question.
- Remember to use 'of' for yes/no questions and words like 'waar', 'wat', 'hoe' for information questions.