#ja nein doch usage

[deutschhaven]

Ja, Nein oder Doch: Similarities and Differences

Have you ever been asked a tag question where you thought that the answer must either be ja or nein? Well, you probably guessed right except that there is one more particle that can possibly be in use as a response to such questions- doch! In summary: The modal particles “Ja, nein oder doch” are the possible answers to a tag question in German whose usage is dependent on several other factors in…

[german-enthusiast]

Doch - one of the best German words

"Ich habe deine Mutter nicht getötet" - Doch!

"Ich habe nicht gelogen" - Doch!

"Du wolltest doch nicht mitkommen" - Doch!

Doch has many meanings, among the best is used above. Duden calls this usage:

"als gegensätzliche Antwort auf eine negativ formulierte Aussage oder Frage in Konkurrenz zu „ja“ bei einer positiv formulierten Frage und in Opposition zu „nein“"

(as contrary answer to a negative statement or question..."

So what does "Doch" mean here?

You say doch when someone makes a negated claim (I didn't kill your mother; i didn't lie; you didn't want to come with) and you want to say that in fact they DID/you DID

-> it's negating a negated statement/question

Doch can also be used in different ways (though not as fun):

"Es wird doch nichts passiert sein?" -> strengthens the question, similar to "surely...?"

"Das ist doch nur dumm!" -> fortifies unhappiness or frustration in a Statement/question, similar to "straight up, simply..."

"Ihr kommt doch heute Abend?" -> fortifies hope in a statement/question, like "you ARE coming, RIGHT?"

(you tell the two apart by overall mood of the person speaking)

"Wie ging der Text doch gleich?" -> implies the person knows the thing they ask about but can't recall at the moment

"Sie kommt doch nicht mit" -> confirms something that had been a theory up until then, similar to "after all"