Explanation
Common question words: なに/なん (what), どこ (where), だれ (who), いつ (when), どう (how), なぜ/どうして (why), いくら (how much).
Formation: Use なに/なん (what), どこ (where), だれ (who), and いつ (when) in the same slot a noun or time word would occupy, and end the sentence with か. なに becomes なん before です and before certain counters.
Usage & nuance: Question words keep the normal word order; only the particle and か mark the question. だれ asks who without politeness level, so どなた is the polite form, and いつ never takes に in the plain question (いつ行きますか). When a question word stands alone as a polite choice, use どれ or どちら.
Compare: なに vs なん. Say 何ですか because it is followed by です, but say 何を食べますか because it is followed by the particle を.
हिंदी में समझें
प्रश्न शब्द: なに/なん (क्या), どこ (कहाँ), だれ (कौन), いつ (कब), どう (कैसे), なぜ/どうして (क्यों), いくら (कितना)।
Examples
- なにをたべますか。 (Nani o tabemasu ka?)
हिंदी: क्या खाओगे?
English: What will you eat? - どこへいきますか。 (Doko e ikimasu ka?)
हिंदी: कहाँ जाओगे?
English: Where are you going? - いつにほんへいきますか。 (Itsu nihon e ikimasu ka?)
हिंदी: जापान कब जाओगे?
English: When are you going to Japan? - だれが来ましたか。 (Dare ga kimashita ka.)
हिंदी: कौन आया?
English: Who came? - いつ日本へ行きますか。 (Itsu Nihon e ikimasu ka.)
हिंदी: जापान कब जाओगे?
English: When will you go to Japan?
Common mistakes
- だれ は きましたか → だれ が きましたか — Question words as subject take が, not は.
Practice this topic
Test your understanding with 3 questions on Question Words — なに, どこ, だれ, いつ.