Breakdown of Der Wissenschaftler fragt mich, ob ich gern forsche.
ich
I
gern
gladly, like to
fragen
to ask
mich
me
der Wissenschaftler
the scientist
ob
whether / if
forschen
to research
Questions & Answers about Der Wissenschaftler fragt mich, ob ich gern forsche.
Why does the verb forsche come at the very end of the sentence?
The word ob (whether/if) introduces a subordinate clause. In German, subordinate clauses always send their conjugated verb to the very end of the clause. That is why it is ... ob ich gern forsche instead of ... ob ich forsche gern.
Both ob and wenn can mean "if" in English. Could I use wenn here?
No, you must use ob here. Use ob for indirect yes/no questions, which is when you could substitute the word "whether" in English (The scientist asks me whether I like to research). You use wenn for "if" in conditions (If it rains, we stay inside).
Why is it mich and not mir after fragt?
The verb fragen (to ask) always takes a direct object in the accusative case for the person being asked. So, you must use the accusative mich (me), not the dative mir (to me).
How does gern forsche translate to "like to research"? Where is the word for "like"?
In German, you do not usually use a separate verb to say you "like" doing an activity. Instead, you use the action verb (forschen) and add the adverb gern (gladly). Literally, this subordinate clause translates to "whether I research gladly."
Learn Der Wissenschaftler fragt mich, ob ich gern forsche and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free