Questions & Answers about Wann kommst du aus Berlin zurück?
Because zurückkommen is a separable verb.
- The full verb is zurückkommen = to come back / to return
- In a main clause, the conjugated part goes to position 2:
- Du kommst ... zurück.
- The prefix zurück separates and moves to the end.
So:
- Wann kommst du aus Berlin zurück?
But in the infinitive, it stays together:
- Ich will aus Berlin zurückkommen.
In German main clauses, the conjugated verb usually comes in second position.
Here, Wann is the first element, so the verb must come next:
- Wann = position 1
- kommst = position 2
- du = after the verb
That is why German says:
- Wann kommst du ...?
and not:
- Wann du kommst ...?
The version with du kommst would be used in a subordinate clause, for example:
- Ich weiß nicht, wann du aus Berlin zurückkommst.