疑问代词

A1 — 代词

Question words: 谁 (who), 什么 (what), 哪 (which), 哪里 (where), 怎么 (how)

Can ask basic questions using 谁/什么/哪里/怎么 without word-order inversion

Examples

你要吃什么？ — What do you want to eat?
你在哪里？ — Where are you?
这是谁？ — Who is this?

代词A1

Question Words

Question words: who, what, which, where, how

Learning Goal

I can ask basic questions using question words

Exam Skills:HSK 1 ListeningHSK 1 Speaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

你要吃什么？

What do you want to eat?

你在哪里？

Where are you?

这是谁？

Who is this?

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Question Words

Chinese question words stay in place — no inversion. 谁 (who), 什么 (what), 哪 (which), 哪里 (where), 怎么 (how). Do NOT add 吗 to these questions.

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Keep SVO order — question words stay in the answer's position. Never add 吗.

你要吃什么？

What do you want to eat?

你要吃什么？ — 什么 replaces the object (answer position): 你要吃[pizza] → 你要吃什么？

你在哪里？

Where are you?

你在哪里？ — 哪里 replaces the location: 你在[家] → 你在哪里？

这是谁？

Who is this?

这是谁？ — 谁 replaces the person: 这是[我的朋友] → 这是谁？ No 吗 needed!

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

4. Work and professions

Frequently asked questions

When is 疑问代词 used?: Chinese question words stay in place — no word-order inversion like English/German!
How is 疑问代词 formed?: Key rule: Replace the unknown with the question word. 他是老师 → 他是谁？ (He is a teacher → Who is he?). Do NOT add 吗 to question-word questions!
What are common mistakes with 疑问代词?: The biggest mistake is inverting word order like English. Chinese keeps the same SVO order — just swap the unknown for the question word. English speakers: Tend to front question words (*什么你要 instead of 你要什么). Chinese questions keep SVO order. Russian speakers: Russian question words also stay in place often (Кто это?), so the pattern is familiar. Don't add 吗 to wh-questions. Czech speakers: Czech question words can appear anywhere; Chinese question words replace the answer's position exactly.

Frequently asked questions

When is 疑问代词 used?

Chinese question words stay in place — no word-order inversion like English/German!

How is 疑问代词 formed?

Key rule: Replace the unknown with the question word. 他是老师 → 他是谁？ (He is a teacher → Who is he?). Do NOT add 吗 to question-word questions!

What are common mistakes with 疑问代词?

The biggest mistake is inverting word order like English. Chinese keeps the same SVO order — just swap the unknown for the question word. English speakers: Tend to front question words (*什么你要 instead of 你要什么). Chinese questions keep SVO order. Russian speakers: Russian question words also stay in place often (Кто это?), so the pattern is familiar. Don't add 吗 to wh-questions. Czech speakers: Czech question words can appear anywhere; Chinese question words replace the answer's position exactly.