German · A2 · Everyday language
Just Checking Together in German
Use gentle questions to check plans as your child becomes more independent. In German, ob means “whether” or “if” in an indirect yes-or-no question.
What you'll learn
- Gently check whether your child needs help or is ready.
- Ask your child to check practical details.
- Use ob with the conjugated verb at the end of the clause.
German phrases for just checking together
Ich frage mich, ob du Hilfe brauchst.
I wonder whether you need help.
Ich frage mich is a natural way to say “I wonder.”
Ich weiß nicht, ob dein Freund kommt.
I do not know whether your friend is coming.
Use deine Freundin for a female friend. Kommt can describe a planned arrival.
Bitte frag, ob das Clubtreffen um vier beginnt.
Please ask whether the club starts at four.
Clubtreffen refers to the club meeting or session. Um vier means “at four.”
Ich frage mich, ob dein Projekt fertig ist.
I wonder whether your project is ready.
Fertig means “ready” or “finished.” Ist goes at the end.
Bitte frag, ob du deine Sportschuhe brauchst.
Please ask whether you need your sports shoes.
Bitte frag is a friendly request to one child.
Ich weiß nicht, ob die Bibliothek geöffnet ist.
I do not know whether the library is open.
Geöffnet ist describes a place being open to visitors.
Ich frage mich, ob dieses Spiel für dich geeignet ist.
I wonder whether this game is suitable for you.
Für dich geeignet means “suitable for you.”
Bitte frag, ob du zum Abendessen bleiben kannst.
Please ask whether you can stay for dinner.
The conjugated modal verb kannst comes last, after bleiben.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
ob
whether; if
Introduces an indirect question with a yes-or-no answer.
die Hilfe
help
Use Hilfe brauchen to mean “to need help,” usually without an article.
das Clubtreffen
club meeting
Names the meeting or session rather than the organization itself.
fertig
ready; finished
Useful for checking whether a task or project is complete.
die Sportschuhe
sports shoes; trainers
Plural. One sports shoe is der Sportschuh.
die Bibliothek
library
Geöffnet means “open”; geschlossen means “closed.”
für dich geeignet
suitable for you
Use this expression when checking whether something is appropriate for your child.
zum Abendessen bleiben
to stay for dinner
Zum is short for zu dem.
Introduce an indirect yes-or-no question with ob
Use ob when wondering, asking or saying you do not know whether something is true. Here, English “if” also translates as ob, not wenn.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Wondering | Ich frage mich, ob … | Ich frage mich, ob du Hilfe brauchst. |
| Not knowing | Ich weiß nicht, ob … | Ich weiß nicht, ob dein Freund kommt. |
| Asking someone to check | Bitte frag, ob … | Bitte frag, ob das Clubtreffen um vier beginnt. |
Put the conjugated verb at the end
A direct yes-or-no question starts with the conjugated verb. In an ob clause, that verb moves to the end. With a modal verb such as kannst, the infinitive comes before it.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct question | Conjugated verb + subject + …? | Brauchst du Hilfe? |
| Indirect question | ob + subject + … + conjugated verb | Ich frage mich, ob du Hilfe brauchst. |
| With sein | ob + subject + adjective + ist | Ich frage mich, ob dein Projekt fertig ist. |
| With a modal verb | ob + subject + … + infinitive + modal verb | Bitte frag, ob du zum Abendessen bleiben kannst. |
Commas and gentle requests
Put a comma before ob. These sentences are statements or requests, so they normally end with a full stop, not a question mark. Frag is the informal singular command used with one child; bitte makes it more polite.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | Ich weiß nicht, ob … . | Ich weiß nicht, ob die Bibliothek geöffnet ist. |
| Polite request | Bitte frag, ob … . | Bitte frag, ob du deine Sportschuhe brauchst. |
More examples
Ich frage mich, ob du schon fertig bist.
I wonder whether you are ready yet.
With du, use bist. It stays at the end of the ob clause.
Bitte frag, ob deine Freundin auch kommt.
Please ask whether your friend is coming too.
Freundin refers to a female friend; auch means “too.”
Ich weiß nicht, ob du das Spiel mitbringen kannst.
I do not know whether you can bring the game along.
The infinitive mitbringen comes before the conjugated modal verb kannst.