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B1Speaking · 10 questions

Polite and indirect speech

Practise sounding polite with the Konjunktiv II and indirect questions: Wissen Sie, wo…?, Können Sie mir sagen, ob…?, Hättest du vielleicht kurz Zeit? In an indirect question the verb goes to the end; yes/no questions use ob.

Question 1 of 10

You ask a stranger the way to the station. What do you say?

In an indirect question the verb goes to the end.

Question 2 of 10

At the station you want to know if the train is on time. What do you ask?

A yes/no question becomes an indirect question with ob.

Question 3 of 10

You want to know politely when the library opens. What do you ask?

Question word + verb at the end.

Question 4 of 10

You can’t carry a heavy box alone and ask a neighbour you say Sie to. What do you say?

würde + infinitive makes a request polite.

Question 5 of 10

You want to ask a colleague (du) for a moment of their time. What do you say?

vielleicht makes the question softer.

Question 6 of 10

At a language school you want to find out the price of a course. What do you say?

Ich würde gern wissen, … + verb at the end.

Question 7 of 10

A colleague asks you to work on Saturday. You want to say no politely. What do you say?

Show that you would like to, then say no.

Question 8 of 10

You want to ask your manager if you can leave early on Friday. What do you say?

Wäre es möglich, …? = Would it be possible…?

Question 9 of 10

You want to know the time from a stranger. Which question is the most polite?

Konjunktiv II + vielleicht + indirect question.

Question 10 of 10

Select all correct indirect questions.

More than one answer is correct. Check where the verb is.

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