5.2 Question Words

Question words stay in place

Chinese forms questions by putting a question word where the answer would go — word order does NOT change: 你去哪儿？(nǐ qù nǎr?) = Where are you going?

Common question words

什么 (shénme) = what, 谁 (shéi/shuí) = who, 哪儿/哪里 (nǎr/nǎlǐ) = where, 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) = when, 为什么 (wèishénme) = why, 怎么 (zěnme) = how.

How many / how much

几 (jǐ) = how many (small numbers, with a measure word): 几个人？ 多少 (duōshao) = how many/much (larger numbers): 多少钱？(duōshao qián?) = How much money?

Key terms

Question rule

question word fills the answer's slot; order unchanged

什么 / 谁

shénme / shéi — what / who

哪儿 / 什么时候

nǎr / shénme shíhou — where / when

为什么 / 怎么

wèishénme / zěnme — why / how

几 / 多少

jǐ / duōshao — how many (small) / how much (large)

Try an AP-style question

"你去哪儿?" means…

1. Why are you going?
2. When are you going?
3. Where are you going?
4. Who is going?