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In English:

Do not ask me why I am fat.

In German:

Fragen Sie mich nicht, warum bin ich fett.

oder

Frag mich nicht, warum ich fett bin.

If one is correct, what is the difference? If both are wrong, how can I write the previous sentence I mentioned above? And could you please tell me about word order in German?

My German is just A1 level. They haven't taught me about how to order the sentence I have known just:

  1. A verb is always in the second position.
  2. Yes/no question: a verb is in the first position as English.

I have heard about Te-Ka-Mo-Lo. But to be honest, I do not know them exactly.

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  • 1
    Welcome to German Language SE. Please edit your question to focus on a specific aspect of that translation you are having trouble with. Also please elaborate what you already understood, so we know where to start explaining.
    – Wrzlprmft ♦
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 16:45
  • @Wrzlprmft I apologise for this and thank you very much for your advice. My German is just A1 level. They haven't taught me about how to order the sentence I have known just: 1. A verb is always in position 2 2. Yes/no question: a verb is in position 1 as English.
    – lvlakmild
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 16:49
  • 2
    Please edit this into your question and apply it to your sentences.
    – Wrzlprmft ♦
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 16:55
  • @Wrzlprmft I have done it already.
    – lvlakmild
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 16:59
  • Wieso wechselst Du im Beispiel von Sie auf Du? Willst Du uns verwirren, oder bist Du selbst verwirrt?
    – user unknown
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 18:51

1 Answer 1

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Your second example

Frag mich nicht, warum ich fett bin.

is perfect. (Though, by the way, the English adjective fat should be translated dick. Despite how much you have to giggle when saying it. The German adjective fett in contrary means extremely obese and is always meant as an insult.)

Your first example is tricky because there are German speakers who actually say:

Fragen Sie mich nicht: Warum bin ich fett.

This isn't the correct perspective, it should be:

Fragen Sie mich nicht: »Warum bist du fett?«

The first part has to be intonated as an imperative sentence, the second as a question sentence.

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  • Oh! yeah. It should be Dick. It should be: Frag mich nicht, warum ich dick bin. It is difficult for A1 level to know about a little complex sentence but could you please tell me why the verb is in the end of the sentence? Thank you in advance.
    – lvlakmild
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 19:20
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    That depends on the type of clause. In statement main clauses, the finite verb is at second position (counted in sentence elements, not words), in imperative and question main clauses it's at first position ("Warum" is at 0th in your example) and in subordinate clauses it's at last position. So, by the position of the finite verb, you can already say what type of clause you have.
    – Janka
    Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 19:55
  • I have learnt so much, thanks to you :- )
    – lvlakmild
    Commented Mar 12, 2017 at 5:39

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