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In English, in more formal situations, we often use indirect questions because they sound more polite.
To make a question more polite we often begin with an indirect question phrase such as:
Example questions :
DIRECT QUESTION : Where is the post office?
INDIRECT QUESTION : Do you know where the post office is?
DIRECT QUESTION : What's the time?
INDIRECT QUESTION : Could you tell me what the time is?
DIRECT QUESTION : Does this train go to Brighton?
INDIRECT QUESTION : Can you tell me if this train goes to Brighton?
DIRECT QUESTION : Is there a bank nearby?
INDIRECT QUESTION : Have you any idea whether there is a bank nearby?
Note for use of indirect questions :
If the direct question begins with an auxiliary verb ( no question word), add 'if' or 'whether' after an indirect question phrase to make the question indirect.
We don't use 'if' or whether with Do you think...?
eg. Do you think he's gone to London? NOT Do you think if he's gone to London?
| Indirect question example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Do you think we can let him go out? | ¿Crees que podemos dejarlo salir? |
| Hey, don't you think Diego would like to join us, too? | Hey, ¿no crees que Diego también se nos podría unir? |
| Do you know how much the tickets are? | ¿Sabes cuánto cuestan los billetes? |
| Do you think we should buy it? | ¿Crees que deberíamos comprarlo? |
| Don't you think he is a nice guy? | ¿No te parece que es un buen tipo? |
| Do you know why they built this enormous pier? | ¿Sabés por qué construyeron este enorme muelle? |
| Can you tell me what you are planning then? | ¿Puedes decirme qué estás planeando, entonces? |
| I'm still checking, do you think I can try some bugs here? | Sigo revisando, ¿crees que puedo probar algunos insectos aquí? |
| Do you know how old this station is? | ¿Sabes los años que tiene esta estación? |
| Do you think we should pay for it? | ¿Crees que deberíamos pagarlo? |
| Erm, what do you think she could do to them? | Erm, ¿qué crees que les podría hacer? |
| Do you know where the kitchen is? | ¿Sabes dónde está la cocina? |
| That's insane, do you think we can negotiate the prices? | Eso es de locos, ¿crees que podamos negociar los precios? |
| Do you think I should take Pogo out of his box? | ¿Crees que debería sacar a Pogo de su caja? |
| How much do you think there is? | ¿Cuánto crees que hay? |
| Do you know how the girls are getting to Soho? | ¿Sabes cómo van a llegar las chichas a Soho? |
| How long do you think it will take? | ¿Cuánto tiempo cree que se tarde? |
| Can you explain why we have to pay £30 more per week please? | ¿Podrías por favor explicarnos por qué nosotros tenemos que pagar £30 más por semana? |
| Can you tell me, Nick, how much they pay, please? | ¿Puedes decirme, Nick, cuánto pagan ellos? |
| Yeah, I forgot that, when do you think we can meet, then? | Cierto, olvidé eso, ¿entonces a qué hora crees que nos podamos reunir? |
