Asking Yes/No Questions
To ask a simple yes or no question in Dutch, move the verb to the front of the sentence. While English adds helper words like "do" or "does" (e.g., "Do you work?"), Dutch simply swaps the subject and the verb.
| We are eating in the restaurant today. | Wij eten vandaag in het restaurant. |
| Do you work in the restaurant? | Werkt u in het restaurant? |
| Do you often drink coffee? | Drinkt u vaak koffie? |
The Special Rule for "Jij"
There is an important spelling rule when turning statements into questions: when the informal pronoun jij (or je) comes directly after the verb, you drop the -t from the verb ending. The verb form becomes exactly the same as the ik form (the bare stem).
For example, jij drinkt (you drink) becomes drink jij? (do you drink?).
| Do you drink tea? | Drink jij thee? |
| Are you paying for the tea today? | Betaal jij de thee vandaag? |
This dropping of the -t only applies to jij and je. The formal u keeps its -t ending when it moves behind the verb (werkt u?). Plural subjects, like jullie, just keep their full infinitive forms whether they are in a statement or a question.
| Are you coming to the city tomorrow? | Komen jullie morgen naar de stad? |
Opinions and Understanding
You will frequently use these question formats to ask people if they understand something or what they think about something.
| Do you understand the book? | Begrijp jij het boek? |
In Dutch, the verb vinden (to find) is commonly used to ask for an opinion, similar to asking "how do you find..." or "what do you think of..." in English.
| Do you like the city? | Vind jij de stad leuk? |
| Do you find the soup tasty? | Vind jij de soep lekker? |