Question formation, question words
Can form yes/no questions and use common question words
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Dove abiti?
Where do you live?
Quanto costa?
How much does it cost?
Perché studi italiano? Perché è bello.
Why are you studying Italian? Because it's beautiful.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Italian questions are easier than English ones. There is no "do" to add and no need to swap subject and verb: a yes/no question is the statement itself, said with a rising voice.
| Statement | Question |
|---|---|
| Parli italiano. - You speak Italian. | Parli italiano? - Do you speak Italian? |
| Maria è a casa. - Maria is at home. | Maria è a casa? - Is Maria at home? |
| Hai fame. - You're hungry. | Hai fame? - Are you hungry? |
In writing, the question mark is what tells you; in speech, it is the melody. Italians also often move the subject to the end: È arrivato Paolo? - Has Paolo arrived? Parla inglese, Lei? Inverting the way English does with "is" (È Maria a casa?) is what English speakers bring with them, and it sounds stilted.
| Italian | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| chi? | who? | Chi è? - Who is it? |
| che cosa? / cosa? / che? | what? | Cosa fai stasera? - What are you doing tonight? |
| dove? | where? | Dove abiti? - Where do you live? |
| quando? | when? | Quando parte il treno per Firenze? |
| come? | how? | Come stai? - How are you? |
| perché? | why? / because | Perché studi italiano? |
| quanto / quanta / quanti / quante? | how much? how many? | Quanto costa? Quanti anni hai? |
| quale / quali? | which? | Quale gelato preferisci? |
After a question word the subject, if there is one, usually goes after the verb: Dove lavora tua sorella? - Where does your sister work? Quanto agrees with the noun it asks about: quanti anni (masculine plural), quante persone (feminine plural).
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUnnecessarily inverting subject and verb as in English
Italian questions keep normal word order. Just use rising intonation: Parli italiano? (not *Parli tu italiano?).
Using wrong question word or form (e.g., quanto without agreement)
Match question words: chi (who), cosa/che (what), dove (where), quando (when), come (how), perché (why/because), quanto/a/i/e (how much/many).
Dove abiti?
Where do you live?
Dove + verb (normal order). No inversion needed: Dove abiti? (not *Dove abiti tu?)
Quanto costa?
How much does it cost?
Quanto agrees with the noun it refers to: Quanto costa? (sg.), Quanti costano? (pl.).
Perché studi italiano? Perché è bello.
Why are you studying Italian? Because it's beautiful.
Perché means both 'why' and 'because'. Context clarifies: Perché? (question) → Perché... (answer).
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Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises