Position of verb in a Fragesatz











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Why is the conjugated helping verb sind used at the 3rd position and not at the 2nd position in the Fragesatz




Wie alt sind Sie?











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    up vote
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    Why is the conjugated helping verb sind used at the 3rd position and not at the 2nd position in the Fragesatz




    Wie alt sind Sie?











    share|improve this question









    New contributor




    Utkarsh Singh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






















      up vote
      5
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      5
      down vote

      favorite











      Why is the conjugated helping verb sind used at the 3rd position and not at the 2nd position in the Fragesatz




      Wie alt sind Sie?











      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Utkarsh Singh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      Why is the conjugated helping verb sind used at the 3rd position and not at the 2nd position in the Fragesatz




      Wie alt sind Sie?








      sentence-structure standard-german






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      Utkarsh Singh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











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      Check out our Code of Conduct.









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      edited Nov 19 at 11:08









      Björn Friedrich

      5,2031833




      5,2031833






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      asked Nov 19 at 10:11









      Utkarsh Singh

      453




      453




      New contributor




      Utkarsh Singh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.





      New contributor





      Utkarsh Singh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.






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      Check out our Code of Conduct.






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes

















          up vote
          8
          down vote



          accepted










          In




          Wie alt sind Sie?




          the verb is indeed in second position as wie alt has to be treated as a unit here, it occupies the first position.



          Indeed the sentence




          Wie sind sie alt?




          would be grammatical, but rather strange. It would mean something like "How are you old?" or "In which way are you old?".






          share|improve this answer




























            up vote
            4
            down vote













            It's the exact same as in English.




            How old are you?

            Wie alt sind Sie?




            The verb is almost always in second position in the sentence (except in yes/no questions like Sind Sie alt? / Are you old?, and sentences in the imperative mood). This here is no exception, because the first part is made of 2 words. In this case, the 'Wie' refers to 'alt' and together they build one part of a sentence: 'Wie alt'. Second comes the verb, and then the subject - 'Sie'.



            You could interchange the sentence parts as long as the verb still comes second:




            You | are | how old?

            Sie | sind | wie alt?







            share|improve this answer























            • It is not true that in questions the verb is always in second position. In questions without an interrogative pronoun (questions that can be answered with yes or no) the verb comes first: Sind sie alt?
              – RHa
              Nov 19 at 12:26










            • @RHa thanks for pointing that out, I edited my answer.
              – Cashbee
              Nov 19 at 12:39










            • There is another exception. In the imperative mood, the verb occupies the first position in the sentence as well. In your answer, you didn't specify if you are talking only about questions.
              – Abdullah
              Nov 19 at 14:02













            Your Answer








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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes








            up vote
            8
            down vote



            accepted










            In




            Wie alt sind Sie?




            the verb is indeed in second position as wie alt has to be treated as a unit here, it occupies the first position.



            Indeed the sentence




            Wie sind sie alt?




            would be grammatical, but rather strange. It would mean something like "How are you old?" or "In which way are you old?".






            share|improve this answer

























              up vote
              8
              down vote



              accepted










              In




              Wie alt sind Sie?




              the verb is indeed in second position as wie alt has to be treated as a unit here, it occupies the first position.



              Indeed the sentence




              Wie sind sie alt?




              would be grammatical, but rather strange. It would mean something like "How are you old?" or "In which way are you old?".






              share|improve this answer























                up vote
                8
                down vote



                accepted







                up vote
                8
                down vote



                accepted






                In




                Wie alt sind Sie?




                the verb is indeed in second position as wie alt has to be treated as a unit here, it occupies the first position.



                Indeed the sentence




                Wie sind sie alt?




                would be grammatical, but rather strange. It would mean something like "How are you old?" or "In which way are you old?".






                share|improve this answer












                In




                Wie alt sind Sie?




                the verb is indeed in second position as wie alt has to be treated as a unit here, it occupies the first position.



                Indeed the sentence




                Wie sind sie alt?




                would be grammatical, but rather strange. It would mean something like "How are you old?" or "In which way are you old?".







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered Nov 19 at 10:19









                Carsten S

                13.1k12255




                13.1k12255






















                    up vote
                    4
                    down vote













                    It's the exact same as in English.




                    How old are you?

                    Wie alt sind Sie?




                    The verb is almost always in second position in the sentence (except in yes/no questions like Sind Sie alt? / Are you old?, and sentences in the imperative mood). This here is no exception, because the first part is made of 2 words. In this case, the 'Wie' refers to 'alt' and together they build one part of a sentence: 'Wie alt'. Second comes the verb, and then the subject - 'Sie'.



                    You could interchange the sentence parts as long as the verb still comes second:




                    You | are | how old?

                    Sie | sind | wie alt?







                    share|improve this answer























                    • It is not true that in questions the verb is always in second position. In questions without an interrogative pronoun (questions that can be answered with yes or no) the verb comes first: Sind sie alt?
                      – RHa
                      Nov 19 at 12:26










                    • @RHa thanks for pointing that out, I edited my answer.
                      – Cashbee
                      Nov 19 at 12:39










                    • There is another exception. In the imperative mood, the verb occupies the first position in the sentence as well. In your answer, you didn't specify if you are talking only about questions.
                      – Abdullah
                      Nov 19 at 14:02

















                    up vote
                    4
                    down vote













                    It's the exact same as in English.




                    How old are you?

                    Wie alt sind Sie?




                    The verb is almost always in second position in the sentence (except in yes/no questions like Sind Sie alt? / Are you old?, and sentences in the imperative mood). This here is no exception, because the first part is made of 2 words. In this case, the 'Wie' refers to 'alt' and together they build one part of a sentence: 'Wie alt'. Second comes the verb, and then the subject - 'Sie'.



                    You could interchange the sentence parts as long as the verb still comes second:




                    You | are | how old?

                    Sie | sind | wie alt?







                    share|improve this answer























                    • It is not true that in questions the verb is always in second position. In questions without an interrogative pronoun (questions that can be answered with yes or no) the verb comes first: Sind sie alt?
                      – RHa
                      Nov 19 at 12:26










                    • @RHa thanks for pointing that out, I edited my answer.
                      – Cashbee
                      Nov 19 at 12:39










                    • There is another exception. In the imperative mood, the verb occupies the first position in the sentence as well. In your answer, you didn't specify if you are talking only about questions.
                      – Abdullah
                      Nov 19 at 14:02















                    up vote
                    4
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    4
                    down vote









                    It's the exact same as in English.




                    How old are you?

                    Wie alt sind Sie?




                    The verb is almost always in second position in the sentence (except in yes/no questions like Sind Sie alt? / Are you old?, and sentences in the imperative mood). This here is no exception, because the first part is made of 2 words. In this case, the 'Wie' refers to 'alt' and together they build one part of a sentence: 'Wie alt'. Second comes the verb, and then the subject - 'Sie'.



                    You could interchange the sentence parts as long as the verb still comes second:




                    You | are | how old?

                    Sie | sind | wie alt?







                    share|improve this answer














                    It's the exact same as in English.




                    How old are you?

                    Wie alt sind Sie?




                    The verb is almost always in second position in the sentence (except in yes/no questions like Sind Sie alt? / Are you old?, and sentences in the imperative mood). This here is no exception, because the first part is made of 2 words. In this case, the 'Wie' refers to 'alt' and together they build one part of a sentence: 'Wie alt'. Second comes the verb, and then the subject - 'Sie'.



                    You could interchange the sentence parts as long as the verb still comes second:




                    You | are | how old?

                    Sie | sind | wie alt?








                    share|improve this answer














                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer








                    edited Nov 19 at 15:29

























                    answered Nov 19 at 12:22









                    Cashbee

                    55619




                    55619












                    • It is not true that in questions the verb is always in second position. In questions without an interrogative pronoun (questions that can be answered with yes or no) the verb comes first: Sind sie alt?
                      – RHa
                      Nov 19 at 12:26










                    • @RHa thanks for pointing that out, I edited my answer.
                      – Cashbee
                      Nov 19 at 12:39










                    • There is another exception. In the imperative mood, the verb occupies the first position in the sentence as well. In your answer, you didn't specify if you are talking only about questions.
                      – Abdullah
                      Nov 19 at 14:02




















                    • It is not true that in questions the verb is always in second position. In questions without an interrogative pronoun (questions that can be answered with yes or no) the verb comes first: Sind sie alt?
                      – RHa
                      Nov 19 at 12:26










                    • @RHa thanks for pointing that out, I edited my answer.
                      – Cashbee
                      Nov 19 at 12:39










                    • There is another exception. In the imperative mood, the verb occupies the first position in the sentence as well. In your answer, you didn't specify if you are talking only about questions.
                      – Abdullah
                      Nov 19 at 14:02


















                    It is not true that in questions the verb is always in second position. In questions without an interrogative pronoun (questions that can be answered with yes or no) the verb comes first: Sind sie alt?
                    – RHa
                    Nov 19 at 12:26




                    It is not true that in questions the verb is always in second position. In questions without an interrogative pronoun (questions that can be answered with yes or no) the verb comes first: Sind sie alt?
                    – RHa
                    Nov 19 at 12:26












                    @RHa thanks for pointing that out, I edited my answer.
                    – Cashbee
                    Nov 19 at 12:39




                    @RHa thanks for pointing that out, I edited my answer.
                    – Cashbee
                    Nov 19 at 12:39












                    There is another exception. In the imperative mood, the verb occupies the first position in the sentence as well. In your answer, you didn't specify if you are talking only about questions.
                    – Abdullah
                    Nov 19 at 14:02






                    There is another exception. In the imperative mood, the verb occupies the first position in the sentence as well. In your answer, you didn't specify if you are talking only about questions.
                    – Abdullah
                    Nov 19 at 14:02












                    Utkarsh Singh is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










                     

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