Formnegative question/statement → Doch!
Meaning and usage
Doch is the answer word that contradicts a negative question or a negative statement. If someone asks Kommst du nicht mit? (Aren't you coming?), the answer Doch! means yes, I am coming. It reverses the negative expectation. Doch usually stands alone as a one-word answer, or at the start of a full sentence: Doch, ich komme mit.
Use Doch only when you are contradicting a negative. For a normal yes/no question without nicht or kein, answer with Ja or Nein. Learners often answer a negative question with Ja, but that sounds confusing in German. The safe reply is Doch when you disagree with the negative.
Examples 3
Kommst du nicht mit? Doch!
Aren't you coming? Yes I am!
Doch, Tom hat es gemacht.
Tom did do it.
Doch, ich glaube an Wunder.
I do believe in miracles.
Test yourself
-
1 Sprachbausteine
Du hast kein Geld? , ich habe zehn Euro.
Show answer
Correct answer: Doch
The question is negative, and the answer contradicts it: the speaker does have money. That is what Doch does.
- Nicht is not an answer word and cannot stand alone as a reply.
- Ja after a negative question is unclear in German. To say you do have money, use Doch.
- Nein would agree that there is no money, but the second part says ten euros.
In this topic: nicht and kein
Example sentences from Tatoeba, used under CC BY 2.0 FR. See sources.