German · A2 · Everyday language
Reading Baby Signals in German
Use gentle German phrases to wonder about your baby's needs. Practise indirect yes-or-no questions with ob, meaning “whether” or “if.”
What you'll learn
- Talk about hunger, comfort, sleep and everyday baby care.
- Use ob after wondering, asking and not knowing.
- Put the conjugated verb at the end of an ob clause.
German phrases for reading baby signals
Ich frage mich, ob du Hunger hast.
I wonder whether you are hungry.
Ich frage mich means “I wonder.” German uses Hunger haben, literally “to have hunger.”
Ich weiß nicht, ob deine Windel nass ist.
I don't know whether your nappy is wet.
Deine Windel means “your nappy.” The verb ist comes at the end of the ob clause.
Ich frage Papa, ob dein Fläschchen fertig ist.
I'll ask Dad whether your bottle is ready.
Fläschchen is a common word for a baby's bottle. German often uses the present tense for an immediate plan: Ich frage Papa.
Ich frage mich, ob dir das Zahnfleisch wehtut.
I wonder whether your gums hurt.
German uses the singular das Zahnfleisch for “gums.” Dir shows whose gums hurt; wehtut stays together at the end.
Ich weiß nicht, ob du ein Nickerchen brauchst.
I don't know whether you need a nap.
Ein Nickerchen is a short sleep. Brauchst means “need” with du.
Ich frage den Arzt, ob dein Gewicht in Ordnung ist.
I'll ask the doctor whether your weight is okay.
In Ordnung means “okay” or “all right.” For a female doctor, say Ich frage die Ärztin.
Ich frage mich, ob dir zu warm ist.
I wonder whether you are too warm.
German uses dir here to describe how warm you feel. Zu warm means “too warm.”
Ich frage Mama, ob deine Decke im Kinderwagen ist.
I'll ask Mum whether your blanket is in the pram.
Im Kinderwagen means “in the pram.” Im is short for in dem.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Hunger haben
to be hungry
With du: Du hast Hunger.
die Windel
nappy; diaper
A wet nappy is eine nasse Windel.
das Fläschchen
baby bottle; small bottle
Nouns ending in -chen always use das.
das Zahnfleisch
gums
This is singular in German, so use ist or tut, not sind or tun.
wehtun
to hurt
Compare Das tut weh (“That hurts”) with ob das wehtut (“whether that hurts”).
das Nickerchen
nap
Ein Nickerchen machen means “to take a nap.”
das Gewicht
weight
Dein Gewicht means “your weight.”
die Decke
blanket
Use deine Decke for “your blanket.”
der Kinderwagen
pram; pushchair
For something located inside it, use im Kinderwagen.
Use ob for indirect yes-or-no questions
Use ob when you wonder, ask or do not know whether something is true. Unlike wenn, ob introduces an indirect question, not a condition.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Wondering | Ich frage mich, ob … | Ich frage mich, ob du Hunger hast. |
| Not knowing | Ich weiß nicht, ob … | Ich weiß nicht, ob deine Windel nass ist. |
| Asking someone | Ich frage + person, ob … | Ich frage Papa, ob dein Fläschchen fertig ist. |
Put the conjugated verb last
In a direct yes-or-no question, the conjugated verb comes first. After ob, it comes at the end of the clause. Write a comma before ob.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct question | Verb + subject + other words? | Brauchst du ein Nickerchen? |
| Indirect question | Opening phrase, ob + subject + other words + verb. | Ich weiß nicht, ob du ein Nickerchen brauchst. |
| Separable verb | Keep wehtun together at the end of the ob clause. | Ich frage mich, ob dir das Zahnfleisch wehtut. |
Use the present tense for an immediate plan
German often uses the present tense where English uses “I'll.” In these phrases, Ich frage naturally means “I'll ask” when describing what you are about to do.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I'll ask Mum | Ich frage Mama, ob … | Ich frage Mama, ob deine Decke im Kinderwagen ist. |
More examples
Hast du Hunger? → Ich frage mich, ob du Hunger hast.
Are you hungry? → I wonder whether you are hungry.
Hast moves from the beginning of the direct question to the end of the ob clause.
Ist deine Windel nass? → Ich weiß nicht, ob deine Windel nass ist.
Is your nappy wet? → I don't know whether your nappy is wet.
Add ob and move ist to the end.
Ist dir zu warm? → Ich frage mich, ob dir zu warm ist.
Are you too warm? → I wonder whether you are too warm.
Keep dir for the person feeling warm; put ist last.