Question Words
疑问代词
Ask basic information questions using question words
Chinese question words sit exactly where the answer would go — you don't rearrange the sentence the way English does.
This is one of the biggest "aha!" moments for English speakers. In English you say "What did you buy?" but in Chinese the word order stays the same as the statement: 你买什么？ (You buy what?)
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Question Words (疑问代词)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 疑问代词 pattern
New here?
Understanding 疑问代词
Here's the beautiful secret of Chinese questions: take any statement, swap out the piece of information you want to know, and drop in a question word. Done. No flipping subject and verb, no auxiliary "do/does," no extra fuss. 你吃苹果 (You eat apples) becomes 你吃什么？ (You eat what?) — that's it. Once you internalize this, asking questions becomes wonderfully simple. Compare that to English, where "You eat apples" becomes "What do you eat?" — you have to add "do," move "what" to the front, and restructure the whole sentence. Chinese skips all of that. The question word simply sits in the answer's seat, like a placeholder waiting to be filled. This is one of those moments where Chinese is genuinely easier than English, so enjoy it and use it with confidence.
Key Points
- 什么 (shénme) = what — the most versatile question word.
- 谁 (shéi) = who — ask about people.
- 哪 (nǎ) = which — used before a measure word + noun.
- 哪儿/哪里 (nǎr / nǎlǐ) = where — ask about places.
- 几 (jǐ) = how many (expecting a small number, usually < 10).
- 多少 (duōshao) = how many / how much (any quantity, also for prices).
- 怎么 (zěnme) = how — ask about methods or reasons.
- 多 (duō) + adj = how + adj (多大 = how old/big, 多远 = how far).
- 为什么 (wèi shénme) = why — literally "for what." Place it before the verb: 你为什么不吃？(Why don't you eat?)
- 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) = when — literally "what time." A natural way to ask about timing.
- Question words can also be used in statements to mean "any": 我什么都吃 = "I eat anything."
Chinese doesn't use rising intonation to mark a question the way English does. The question word itself does the job. Keep your tone natural — no need to raise your pitch at the end.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
你买什么？
What are you buying?
Replaces the object — answer: 我买书。
谁是你的老师？
Who is your teacher?
你住哪儿？
Where do you live?
你怎么去医院？
How do you get to the hospital?
你们班有多少学生？
How many students are in your class?
你今年多大？
How old are you this year?
这个多少钱？
How much does this cost?
Essential phrase for shopping
你为什么学中文？
Why are you learning Chinese?
A question you will hear a lot as a learner
你什么时候到？
When will you arrive?
Asking about timing — chatting with a friend
你家有几口人？
How many people are in your family?
几 expects a small number — perfect for family size
Common Mistakes
Don't move the question word to the front like in English. It stays in the same position as the answer would occupy.
A sentence with a question word (什么) does NOT also need 吗. The question word already makes it a question.
怎么 (how) goes before the verb it modifies. Also note: 哪儿 (where?) and 那儿 (there) are different words.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
Golden rule: Chinese questions keep the SAME word order as statements. Just swap the unknown piece for a question word.
Never combine a question word (什么, 谁, 哪) with 吗 in the same sentence — that's double-marking the question.
Practice by taking any statement you know and replacing one element with a question word — instant question!
The phrase 这个多少钱？ is your number-one shopping survival phrase. Memorize it before your first trip to a Chinese market.
When you cannot catch what someone says, say 你说什么？(What did you say?) or the more polite 请再说一次 (Please say it again).
Homework
Write a mini-interview script: come up with eight questions you would ask a new classmate (name, age, hometown, favorite food, etc.). Use a different question word in each one.