{{Grammar Box}}
Who, what, when, where, why, and how. These question words are also to forming questions in Chinese. The important thing to remember is that [[word order]] is the same in Chinese for questions and statements.
== Overview ==
=== Common Question Words List ===
In English, question words are also known as ''wh-words'', as the majority of them begin with ''wh'':
* 什么 shénmewhat
* 哪里 、 哪儿 nǎlǐ, nǎrwhere
* 哪个nǎgewhich
* 谁 In spoken Chinese, people normally say "shéi," not "shuí"shéiwho
* 什么时候 shénme shíhouwhen
* 为什么 wèishénmewhy
* 怎么 zěnmehow
* 多少 duōshaohow many / how much
=== Rules ===
In English, question words have to be placed at the beginning of the sentence. This involves changing the [[word order]] to allow this rearrangement. In Chinese, using question words is a lot simpler. You simply place a question word in the place of the thing you want to ask about. ''Nothing needs to be rearranged.''
So if the statement is
* 我 是 小李 。 Wǒ shì Xiǎo Lǐ.I am Xiao Li.
the question form - "who are you?" - has the same word order:
* 你 是 谁？Nǐ shì shéi?Who are you? (you are who?)
This works for whatever it is you want to ask about. The question form has the same word order as the statement form.
== Expressing "What" with 什么 (shénme) ==
=== Structure ===
Subj. + Verb + 什么 + (Noun) ?
=== Examples ===
- A: 这 是 什么？Zhè shì shénme?What is this?
- B:这 是 我 的 iPad。Zhè shì wǒ de iPad.This is my iPad.
- A:你 喜欢 吃 什么 菜？ Nǐ xǐhuan chī shénme cài?What kind of food do you like?
- B:我 喜欢 吃 中国 菜。 Wǒ xǐhuan chī Zhōngguó cài.I like Chinese food.
- A:你 用 什么 手机？Nǐ yòng shénme shǒujī?What kind of cell phone do you use?
- B:我 用 iPhone。Wǒ yòng iPhone.I use an iPhone.
- A:你 在 看 什么 书？Nǐ zài kàn shénme shū?What kind of book are you reading?
- B:我 在 看 小说。Wǒ zài kàn xiǎoshuō.I am reading a novel.
- A:他 开 什么 车？Tā kāi shénme chē? What kind of car does he drive?
- B:他 开 宝马。 Tā kāi Bǎomǎ.He drives a BMW.
== Expressing "Where" with 哪里 (nǎlǐ) / 哪儿 (nǎr) ==
The words 哪里 (nǎlǐ) and 哪儿 (nǎr) mean the same thing. The difference is simply regional preference: 哪里 (nǎlǐ) is preferred in the south (Shanghai, Taiwan), whereas 哪儿 (nǎr) is preferred in the north (Beijing, Xi'an).
=== Structure ===
Subj. + Verb + 哪里 / 哪儿 ?
=== Examples ===
- A:你 在 哪里？Nǐ zài nǎlǐ?Where are you?
- B:我 在 家。Wǒ zài jiā.I'm at home.
- A:你 要 去 哪儿？Nǐ yào qù nǎr?Where are you going now?
- B:我 要 去 洗手间。Wǒ yào qù xǐshǒujiān.I'm going to the bathroom.
- A:我们 在 哪儿？Wǒmen zài nǎr?Where are we?
- B:我们 在 南京西路。Wǒmen zài Nánjīng Xī Lù.We are at West Nanjing road.
- A: 这 个 周末 你 想 去 哪儿？Zhège zhōumò nǐ xiǎng qù nǎr?Where do you want to go this weekend?
- B:我 想 去 公园。Wǒ xiǎng qù gōngyuán.I want to go to the park.
- A: 你好，你 要 去 哪儿？Nǐhǎo, nǐ yào qù nǎr?Hello, where do you want to go?
- B:我 要 去 外滩。Wǒ yào qù Wàitān.I want to go to the Bund.
== Expressing "Which" with 哪个 (nǎge) ==
=== Structure ===
Subj. + Verb + 哪个 (+ Noun) ?
=== Examples ===
- A:你 要 哪个？Nǐ yào nǎge?Which one do you want?
- B:我 要 这个。Wǒ yào zhège.I want this one.
- A:你 喜欢 哪 个 菜？Nǐ xǐhuan nǎge cài?Which dish do you like?
- B:我 喜欢 这 个 菜。Wǒ xǐhuan zhège cài.I like this dish.
- A: 我们 去 哪 个 饭店？Wǒmen qù nǎge fàndiàn? Which restaurant are we going to?
- B: 我们 去 你 妈妈 的 饭店。Wǒmen qù nǐ māma de fàndiàn.We are going to your mom's restaurant.
- A: 你 在 哪 个 房间？Nǐ zài nǎge fángjiān? Which room are you in?
- B: 我 在 你 的 房间。Wǒ zài nǐ de fángjiān.I'm in your room.
- A: 你 住 在 哪 个 区？Nǐ zhù zài nǎge qū? Which district do you live in?
- B: 我 住 在 静安 区。Wǒ zhù zài Jìng'ān Qū .I live in Jing'an District.
== Expressing "Who" with 谁 (shéi) ==
=== Structure ===
Subj. + 是 + 谁 ?
谁 + Verb ?
=== Examples ===
- A:你 是 谁？Nǐ shì shéi?Who are you?
- B:我 是 他 女朋友。Wǒ shì tā nǚpéngyou.I'm his girlfriend.
- A:她 是 谁？Tā shì shéi?Who is she?
- B:她 是 我的老师。Tā shì wǒ de lǎoshī.She‘s my teacher.
- A:你 不 喜欢 谁？Nǐ bù xǐhuan shéi?Who do you not like?
- B:我 不 喜欢 我 的 老板。Wǒ bù xǐhuan wǒ de lǎobǎn.I don't like my boss.
- A:谁 想 去？Shéi xiǎng qù?Who wants to go?
- B:我 想 去。Wǒ xiǎng qù.I want to go.
- A:谁 想 喝 咖啡？Shéi xiǎng hē kāfēi?Who wants to drink coffee?
- B:我 想 喝 咖啡。Wǒ xiǎng hē kāfēi.I want to drink coffee.
== Expressing "When" with 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) ==
=== Structure ===
Subj. + 什么时候 + Predicate ?
Examples for asking and telling ''when'' (to keep things simple, we'll just include questions about the future; asking questions about the past can be slightly more complicated and may involve the [[Using the "shi... de" construction|"shi... de" construction]]).
=== Examples ===
- A:你 什么时候 来 ？ Nǐ shénme shíhou lái?When are you coming?
- B:我 明天 来。Wǒ míngtiān lái.I'm coming tomorrow.
- A:你们 什么时候 走？Nǐmen shénme shíhou zǒu?When are you guys leaving?
- B:我们 下 个 月 走。Wǒmen xià gè yuè zǒu.We're leaving next month.
- A:我们 什么时候 吃饭？Wǒmen shénme shíhou chīfàn?When are we eating?
- B:我们 6 点 吃饭。Wǒmen liù diǎn chīfàn.We're eating at 6:00.
- A:爸爸 什么时候 回来？Bàba shénme shíhou huílái?When is dad coming back?
- B:爸爸 周末 回来。Bàba zhōumò huílái.Dad is coming back this weekend.
- A:你 的 飞机 什么时候 到 上海？Nǐ de fēijī shénme shíhou dào Shànghǎi?When is your airplane arriving in Shanghai?
- B:晚上 八点。 Wǎnshang bā diǎn.Eight o'clock this evening.
== Expressing "Why" with 为什么 (wèishénme) ==
=== Structure ===
Subj. + 为什么 + Predicate ?
=== Examples ===
- A:你 为什么 学 中文？Nǐ wèishénme xué Zhōngwén?Why do you study Chinese?
- B:因为 我 在 中国 工作。Yīnwèi wǒ zài Zhōngguó gōngzuò. Because I'm working in China.
- A:他们 为什么 不 喝 咖啡？Nǐ wèishénme bù hē kāfēi?Why don't you drink coffee?
- B:因为 咖啡 很 苦。Yīnwèi kāfēi hěn kǔ.Because coffee is bitter.
- A:他 为什么 不 来？Tā wèishénme bù lái?Why isn't he coming?
- B:因为 他 很 忙。Yīnwèi tā hěn máng.Because he is busy.
- A:你 早上 为什么 不 在？Nǐ zǎoshang wèishénme bù zài?Why were you not here this morning?
- B:因为 我 出去 见 朋友 了。Yīnwèi wǒ chūqù jiàn péngyou le.Because I went out to meet some friends.
- A:这些 外国人 为什么 不 喜欢 中国？Zhèxiē wàiguó rén wèishénme bù xǐhuan Zhōngguó?Why do these foreigners not like China?
- B:因为 中国 人 太多。Yīnwèi Zhōngguó rén tài duō.Because China has a lot of people.
== Expressing "How" with 怎么 (zěnme) ==
=== Structure ===
Subj. + 怎么 + Verb (+ Obj.) ?
=== Examples ===
- A:你 怎么 学习 中文？Nǐ zěnme xuéxí Zhōngwén?How do you study Chinese?
- B:我 用 Grammar Wiki 学习 中文 。Wǒ yòng Grammar Wiki xuéxí Zhōngwén.I use the Grammar Wiki to study Chinese.
- A:你 怎么 上网？Nǐ zěnme shàngwǎng?How do you go online?
- B:我 用 手机 上网。Wǒ yòng shǒujī shàngwǎng.I use my cell phone to go online.
- A:你 怎么 去 北京？Nǐ zěnme qù Běijīng?How do you go to Beijing?
- B:我 坐 火车 去。Wǒ zuò huǒchē qù.I take the train.
- A:你们 怎么 回家 ？Nǐmen zěnme huíjiā?How are you guys going to get home?
- B:我 开车 回家。Wǒ kāichē huíjiā.I‘m driving home.
- A:你 怎么 买 票 ？ Nǐ zěnme mǎi piào? How do you buy tickets?
- B:我 上网 买 票 。Wǒ shàngwǎng mǎi piào.I go online to buy tickets.
==See also==
*[[Word order]]
*[[Affirmative-negative questions]]
*[[Yes-no questions with "ma"]]
== Sources and further reading ==
* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (p. 23) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 132-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (p. 57) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 66, 251) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]][http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
{{Used for|Sentence Patterns}}
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
[[Category:Dialogs]]
{{Basic Grammar|什么|A1|什么 / 什么时候 / 谁 / 哪儿 / 为什么 / 怎么|你 是 谁 ？你 在 哪儿 ？|grammar point|ASGJQPSC}}
{{Rel char|什么}}
{{Rel char|什么时候}}
{{Rel char|谁}}
{{Rel char|哪儿}}
{{Rel char|为什么}}
{{Rel char|怎么}}
{{Similar|Word order}}
{{Similar|Affirmative-negative question}}
{{Similar|Yes-no questions with "ma"}}
{{Similar|Basic sentence order}}
{{Similar|How to do something with "zenme"}}
{{Structure|Question Forms}}
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