Magst du Tee?
English: Do you like tea?
- Language
- German
- Level
- A0
- Unit
- Hilfswörter und Grundverben
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
German does not use 'do' as a helper verb for negatives and questions. Instead, word order or 'nicht/kein' is used.
When to use it
Form questions by moving the verb to the first position. Use 'nicht' or 'kein' for negatives.
Key forms
- (no 'do' equivalent)
- nicht / kein for negation
- question word order (verb first)
Examples
Sie arbeitet nicht hier.
English: She does not work here.
Sie spielen heute nicht.
English: They do not play today.
Spricht er Englisch?
English: Does he speak English?
Tips
- No extra helper verb is needed; use verb-first for questions.
- Use 'nicht' after the verb for negation.
- At this stage, focus on recognizing question and negative patterns.
Exceptions and edge cases
- The verb 'sein' also uses verb-first for questions and 'nicht' for negatives.