German A1.6 Listening Practice: Ask Yes-Or-No Questions With Sein
German A1 listening practice with audio, transcript, key phrases, and a speaking challenge for ask yes-or-no questions with sein.
Podcast listening is in beta while creation and discussion tools are refined. This published chapter includes its complete segmented audio and transcript.
Level
A1.6
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
16 segments
What to notice while you listen
What you'll understand
Ask whether a familiar person or group is in a known place or state.
Move the known finite form of sein before the subject to make a direct yes-no question.
New pattern
verb-first yes-no questions with a finite form of sein
Practice aloud after listening
Bist du hier? Ist sie müde? Sind Sie hier?
Are you here? Is she tired? Are you here? (formal)
A short German listening chapter with transcript.
Turn a statement into a question by placing the known verb first, without adding an English helper.
Read while you listen.
1. Hanna · Teacher
Welcome to ChickyTutor! I'm Hanna. Today we are learning how to ask direct yes-or-no questions in German with the verb 'sein'. Let's listen to a short conversation between Felix and Clara.
Audio ready
2. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Bist du hier, Clara?
Audio ready
3. Clara · Native Speaker 2
Ja, ich bin hier.
Audio ready
4. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Ist Sarah auch müde?
Audio ready
5. Clara · Native Speaker 2
Ja, sie ist müde.
Audio ready
6. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Sind Sie hier, Herr Weber?
Audio ready
7. Hanna · Teacher
Let's look at that first sentence: Felix asked Clara, 'Bist du hier?'. This means 'Are you here?'. Notice how 'Du bist' flipped to 'Bist du?' to form a question.
Audio ready
8. Lukas · Student
So to make a yes-or-no question, I just put the verb first?
Audio ready
9. Hanna · Teacher
Exactly, Lukas! Move the finite verb right to the front.
Audio ready
10. Hanna · Teacher
Next, Felix asked, 'Ist Sarah auch müde?'. This means 'Is Sarah also tired?'. 'Ist' comes first because Sarah is 'sie', or 'she'.
Audio ready
11. Lukas · Student
What does 'müde' mean again?
Audio ready
12. Hanna · Teacher
'Müde' means tired. So 'Sie ist müde' becomes 'Ist sie müde?' in a question.
Audio ready
13. Hanna · Teacher
Finally, Felix asked, 'Sind Sie hier, Herr Weber?'. This is the formal address meaning 'Are you here, Mr. Weber?'.
Audio ready
14. Lukas · Student
Does formal 'Sie' keep its capital letter in questions too?
Audio ready
15. Hanna · Teacher
Yes, always! 'Sie sind hier' becomes 'Sind Sie hier?' with a capital S.
Audio ready
16. Hanna · Teacher
That's all for today's lesson. Practice flipping your verbs to front position whenever you want to ask a question!
Audio ready