Yes/no questions in Dutch: put the verb first
Form a Dutch yes/no question by moving the finite verb to the front (Werk jij?), and answer with ja, nee or jawel.
A yes/no question (in Dutch a gesloten vraag, a closed question) is one you can answer with ja (yes) or nee (no). Dutch builds it by moving the verb to the front: Werk jij? (Do you work?).
How to make it
Take the statement and move the finite verb — the conjugated verb — to the front, before the subject. Unlike English, Dutch adds no helper word: there is no equivalent of do or does.
- Start from the statement: Jij werkt in Amsterdam. (You work in Amsterdam.)
- Swap the subject and the finite verb, so the verb comes first: Werk jij in Amsterdam? (Do you work in Amsterdam?)
- Add a question mark. Nothing else changes — the verb still sits in the second slot Dutch keeps for it, only now the subject follows it (see the verb-second rule).
| Statement | Yes/no question |
|---|---|
| Jij werkt. (You work.) | Werk jij? / Werk je? |
| Hij komt. (He is coming.) | Komt hij? |
| Wij hebben tijd. (We have time.) | Hebben wij tijd? |
| Jij bent klaar. (You are ready.) | Ben jij klaar? |
The -t drops after the verb with jij/je
When jij or je comes right after the verb, the -t that jij normally carries disappears: jij werkt but Werk jij? / Werk je? This happens only with jij/je, and only when it follows the verb. With hij or zij the -t stays: Werkt hij? The same drop hits irregular verbs — jij bent becomes Ben jij?, and jij hebt becomes Heb jij? More on this ending in the simple present tense.
Answering with ja, nee and jawel
- For a normal question, answer with ja (yes) or nee (no): Werk je? — Ja. / Nee.
- Use jawel to answer a negative question with a positive. Kom je niet? (Aren't you coming?) — Jawel, ik kom. (Yes, I am coming.) Jawel works like German doch or French si: it pushes back against the negative.
- Inside a sentence, wel is the positive counter to niet: Ik werk niet. — Je werkt wel. (You do work.)
Mistakes to avoid
English speakers reach for a do-helper, because English asks Do you work? Dutch has no such word. Do not build Doe jij werken? — the verb itself moves to the front: Werk jij? Just invert the subject and the finite verb, and you have your question.
- Turn *Jij hebt een fiets.* (You have a bike.) into a yes/no question.
- Heb jij een fiets?
- Hebt jij een fiets?
- Doe jij een fiets hebben?
- Jij hebt een fiets?
Move the verb to the front, and the *-t* drops after *jij* → *Heb jij een fiets?* (*jij hebt* → *heb jij*).
- Which is the correct yes/no question?
- Werk hij hier?
- Werkt hij hier?
- Werken hij hier?
- Doet hij hier werken?
The *-t* only drops with *jij/je*, not with *hij*. So *hij* keeps it → *Werkt hij hier?* (Does he work here?)
- Why does *jij werkt* become *werk je* in a question?
- because *je* follows the verb, so the *-t* drops
- because *werken* is irregular
- because questions always use the bare stem
- because *je* is plural
When *jij/je* comes right after the verb, the *-t* disappears → *Werk je?* With *hij* it would stay: *Werkt hij?*
- Someone says *Je komt toch niet?* (You're not coming, are you?) — but you are coming. Which answer fits?
- Nee, ik kom.
- Ja, ik kom niet.
- Jawel, ik kom.
- Nee, ik kom niet.
*Jawel* contradicts a negative question: *Jawel, ik kom.* (Yes, I am coming.) A plain *ja* would be too weak here.
- Spot the error: *Doe jij van koffie houden?*
- Nothing is wrong.
- It should be *Houd jij van koffie?* — Dutch has no *doen* helper
- It should be *Jij houdt van koffie?*
- It should be *Houdt jij van koffie?*
Dutch forms yes/no questions without a *do*-word; the verb moves up and the *-t* drops after *jij* → *Houd jij van koffie?* (Do you like coffee?)
Test yourself
Question 1 of 5
Turn Jij hebt een fiets. (You have a bike.) into a yes/no question.