Grammar

Questions with Interrogative Pronouns

This kind of question is formed by replacing the element that is asked about in a statement with an interrogative pronoun.

There are two important grammatical features:

1. It follows exactly the word order of the declarative sentence.

2. The interrogative pronoun is positioned where the answer is expected.

For example:

(1) Tā shì wǒ de lǎoshī. (Declarative sentence)

Shéi shì nǐ de lǎoshī? (Interrogative question)

(2) Tā shì wǒ de lǎoshī. (Declarative sentence)

Tā shì shéi de lǎoshī? (Interrogative question)

(3) Wǒ bàba jiāo Pǔtónghuà. (Declarative sentence)

Nǐ bàba jiāo shénme? (Interrogative question)

(4) Wǒmen qù tā gēge de jiā. (Declarative sentence)

Nǐmen qù nǎr? (Interrogative question)

Note

Particle “ma” cannot usually be used in this kind of question.