HSK 1 grammar · new HSK syllabus
Question words: 什么, 谁, 哪儿, 几, 多少, 怎么
Chinese question words sit where the answer would go. No word-order change and no 吗.
Structure
- Question word in the place of the answer
How it works
In English, question words move to the front (“What do you want?”). In Chinese they stay where the answer would be: 你要什么？ — 我要茶.
The main question words at HSK 1: 什么 what, 谁 who, 哪儿/哪里 where, 哪 which, 几 how many (usually under ten), 多少 how many / how much, 怎么 how, 怎么样 how is it.
几 is used with a measure word for small numbers you expect to be under ten (几个人). 多少 is for any number and can skip the measure word (多少钱).
Examples
-
你叫什么名字？
Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
What’s your name?
-
他是谁？
Tā shì shéi?
Who is he?
-
你去哪儿？
Nǐ qù nǎr?
Where are you going?
-
你家有几口人？
Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén?
How many people are in your family?
-
这个苹果多少钱？
Zhège píngguǒ duōshao qián?
How much is this apple?
-
你怎么去学校？
Nǐ zěnme qù xuéxiào?
How do you get to school?
Words in these examples (20)
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 叫 | jiào | to call; to be called; to shout | HSK 1 |
| 什么 | shénme | what | HSK 1 |
| 名字 | míngzi | name | HSK 1 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 谁 | shéi/shuí | who | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 哪儿 | nǎr | where | HSK 1 |
| 家 | jiā | home; family; (measure word for shops and companies) | HSK 1 |
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is | HSK 1 |
| 几 | jǐ | how many (usually under ten); a few | HSK 1 |
| 口 | kǒu | (measure word for family members) mouth | HSK 1 |
| 人 | rén | person; people | HSK 1 |
| 这个 | zhège | this one | HSK 1 |
| 苹果 | píngguǒ | apple | HSK 1 |
| 多少 | duōshao | how many; how much | HSK 1 |
| 钱 | qián | money | HSK 1 |
| 怎么 | zěnme | how; why | HSK 1 |
| 学校 | xuéxiào | school | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗什么你喜欢吃？
✓你喜欢吃什么？
The question word stays in the object position.
-
✗你去哪儿吗？
✓你去哪儿？
Question words don’t take 吗.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 你是 国人？
2. 这件衣服 钱？
3. 你 去北京？坐飞机吗？