German Phrase
Kommst du zurück?
Meaning
‘Kommst du zurück?’ asks whether the listener is going to return or come back, often after they have left a place or are on a trip. It can be a simple curiosity or a polite request for confirmation.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know if someone will be back soon – e.g., after a meeting, when a friend is leaving a party, or when you’re waiting for a colleague to return to the office.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Kommstduzurück?
Verb conjugation (kommen)
‘Kommst’ is the 2nd person singular present tense of ‘kommen’ (to come). In questions the verb comes first.
Separable verb ‘zurückkommen’
‘Zurückkommen’ is a separable verb; the prefix ‘zurück’ moves to the end of the clause in main clauses and questions.
Subject‑verb inversion
German yes‑no questions invert the subject and verb: verb‑first, then the subject pronoun.
Pronoun ‘du’ (informal you)
‘du’ is the informal singular ‘you’. For formal situations use ‘Sie’ and conjugate the verb accordingly.
🗨In Conversation
Kommst du zurück?
Are you coming back?
Ja, ich komme gleich zurück.
Yes, I’ll be back in a moment.
✕Common Mistakes
Kommen du zurück?
Verb must be conjugated to match ‘du’; the correct form is ‘Kommst du…’
Kommst du zurücken?
‘Zurück’ is a separable prefix, not a suffix; you never add ‘-en’ after it.
Kommst du zurück?
In formal situations you should use ‘Sie’: ‘Kommen Sie zurück?’
↔Alternatives
Kommst du wieder?
Are you coming again?
Kehren Sie zurück?
Will you return? (formal)
Wirst du zurückkommen?
Will you come back?
Cultural Tip
In everyday German ‘zurückkommen’ is more common than ‘wiederkommen’ when you’re talking about returning to the same place. Remember that ‘zurück’ is a separable prefix, so it always moves to the end of the clause. For formal contexts replace ‘du’ with ‘Sie’ and conjugate the verb: ‘Kommen Sie zurück?’