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The Interrogative question is also called a special question. It requires others to give a specific answer according to the question part.
The interrogative pronouns such as 什么，谁，哪儿，怎么，多少, and 几 can function as the subject, object, attribute, or adverbial modifier.
Note that “吗” can’t be added at the end of the interrogative questions.
The interrogative pronoun “什么” is used in interrogative sentences, serving as the object by itself or together with a nominal element following it.
e.g.
你想吃什么？(Nǐ xiǎng chī shén me?) What do you want to eat?
你叫什么名字？(Nǐ jiào shén me míng zi?) What is your name?
这是什么书？(Zhè shì shénme shū?) What book is this?
那是什么东西？(Nà shì shénme dōngxi?) What is it?
The interrogative pronoun “谁” is used to ask about the name or identity of a person. Besides the subject and the object, “谁” can be an adverbial modifier as well and in this case, “的” should be added after “谁.”
e.g.
他是谁? （Tā shì shuí?） Who is he?
谁是美国人? (Shuí shì měi guó rén?) Who is an American?
谁在唱歌？(Shéi zài chànggē?) Who is singing?
你在和谁说话？(Nǐ zài hé shéi shuōhuà?) Who are you talking to?
这是谁的书？(Zhè shì shéi de shū?) Whose book is this?
When the interrogative pronoun “哪” is used in a question, the structure is “哪 + Number phrase + Noun”. Here “哪” means “which” and it requires identifying the person or thing among several options.
哪 + Number phrase + Noun
e.g.
你喜欢哪个手机？(Nǐ xǐhuān nǎge shǒujī?) Which phone do you like?
你买了哪两本书？(Nǐ mǎi le nǎ liǎng běn shū?) Which two books did you buy?
哪个人是你的姐姐？(Nǎge rén shì nǐ de jiějiě?) Which one is your sister?
Note that if the number of the sentence is “一”, then “一” could be omitted. But the measure word has to remain.
When the interrogative pronoun “哪些” is used in a question, it requires choosing a few people or things from several options. “哪些” can function as a subject or attribute. It doesn’t need a measure word after “哪些.”
e.g.
哪些人明天想去公园？(Nǎxiē rén míngtiān xiǎng qù gōngyuán?) Who wants to go to the park tomorrow?
哪些是你的东西？(Nǎxiē shì nǐ de dōngxi?) Which are your things?
你想看哪些电影？(Nǐ xiǎng kàn nǎxiē diànyǐng?) Which movies would you like to see?
The interrogative pronoun “哪儿” or “哪里” is used to ask about the location of somebody or something.
e.g.
哪儿能买到汉语词典？(Nǎr néng mǎi dào hànyǔ cídiǎn?) Where can I buy a Chinese dictionary?
你要去哪里？(Nǐ yào qù nǎ lǐ?) Where would you want to go?
他的家乡在哪里？(Tā de jiāxiāng zài nǎlǐ?) Where is his hometown?
你们是在哪儿认识的？(Nǐmen shì zài nǎr rènshi de?) Where did you meet?
The interrogative pronoun “几” and “多少” are used to ask about a number.
– “几” is usually used with the question less than 10. There has to be a measure word after “几.”
– “几” is often used to ask about the time point or date, such as “几点” “几号” “几月” “星期几”.
– “多少” is usually used to ask about numbers larger than 10. Sometimes the measure word after 多少 can be omitted. “多少” can be an object itself too.
– “多少” could be used to inquire about prices with the pattern “……多少钱?”.
e.g.
现在几点了？(Xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le?) What is the time now?
你要几个苹果?(Nǐ yào jǐ gè píng guǒ) How many apples do you want?
这件衣服多少钱？(Zhè jiàn yī fu duō shǎo qián?) How much are these clothes?
你有多少汉语老师？(Nǐ yǒu duōshǎo hànyǔ lǎoshī?) How many Chinese teachers do you have?
你这个月读了多少本书？(Nǐ zhège yuè dúle duōshǎo běn shū?) How many books have you read this month?
“多” is often followed by an adjective to ask about the degree or quality of somebody or something, such as age, length, weight, duration and etc.
Subject +(有)多 + Adjective ？
– “多+大” is used to ask about one’s age. Note that it’s often to ask someone who’s younger than you or about your age.
e.g.
这孩子多大了？(Zhè háizi duō dà le?) How old is this child?
– “多+长” is used to ask about the length.
e.g.
这条路多长？(Zhè tiáo lù duō cháng?) How long is this road?
– “多+久” is used to ask about the time duration.
e.g.
他离开多久了? (Tā líkāi duōjiǔ le?) How long has he been gone?
– “多+重” is used to ask about the weight.
e.g.
你的狗多重了？(Nǐ de gǒu duōzhòngle?) How heavy is your dog?
– “多+远” is used to ask about the distance.
e.g.
你家离学校多远？(Nǐ jiā lí xuéxiào duō yuǎn?) How far is your home from the school?
Note that the adjective in this pattern is often a positive word, such as 大，高，重，长，远，粗，厚, but a negative word.
Subject + 怎么 + Verb phrase / Adjective phrase?
Subject + 怎么 + 了？
e.g.
去故宫怎么走？(Qù gù gōng zěn me zǒu?) How can I get to Imperial Place?
这道题怎么做？(Zhè dào tí zěn me zuò?) How can I solve this question?
妈妈怎么了？ (Māma zěnme le?)
你怎么来了？ (Nǐ zěnme láile?) Why did you come?
你们怎么都认识那个人？(Nǐmen zěnme dōu rènshi nàgè rén?) Why do you all know that person?
今天怎么这么冷？(Jīntiān zěnme zhème lěng?) Why is it so cold today?
你的脸怎么那么红？(Nǐ de liǎn zěnme nàme hóng?) Why is your face so red?
Note that “吗” can’t be added at the end of the interrogative question.
Subject + 怎么样？
Subject + Verb + 得 + 怎么样？
e.g.
你爷爷的身体怎么样了？(Nǐ yéye de shēntǐ zěnmeyàng le?) How is your grandpa’s health?
今天天气怎么样？(Jīntiān tiānqì zěnmeyàng?) How’s the weather today?
你这次汉语考试考得怎么样？(Nǐ zhè cì Hànyǔ kǎoshì kǎo de zěnmeyàng?) How was your Chinese quizzing this time?
你的汉语说得怎么样？(Nǐ de hànyǔ shuō de zěnmeyàng?) How is your spoken Chinese?
e.g.
你帮我洗衣服，怎么样？(Nǐ bāng wǒ xǐ yīfu, zěnme yàng?) How about you help me do the laundry?
我们一起去公园玩，怎么样？(Wǒmen yīqǐ qù gōngyuán wán, zěnme yàng?) How about we go to the park to play together?
我请你吃饭，怎么样？(Wǒ qǐng nǐ chīfàn, zěnme yàng?) How about I invite you to dinner?
“怎样” is used to ask about the manner of an action or the condition of someone or something. It can be an attribute or adverbial modifier in a sentence.
e.g.
下雨了，你怎样去上班？(Xià yǔ le, nǐ zěnyàng qù shàngbān?) It’s raining, how do you go to work?
老师，你告诉我该怎样学习汉语？(Lǎoshī, nǐ gàosù wǒ gāi zěnyàng xuéxí hànyǔ?) Teacher, can you tell me how to learn Chinese?
没有钱，你怎样在这里生活？(Méiyǒu qián, nǐ zěnyàng zài zhèlǐ shēnghuó?) How do you live here without money?
他是一个怎样的老板？(Tā shì yīgè zěnyàng de lǎobǎn?) What kind of boss is he?
The interrogative pronoun “为什么” is used to ask about the reason of something. It can be put before or after the subject.
Subject + 为什么 + Verb phrase / Adjective Phrase ？
为什么 + Subject + Verb phrase / Adjective Phrase ？
e.g.
你为什么迟到？(Nǐ wèishénme chídào?) Why are you late?
为什么他不在家？(Wèishénme tā bù zàijiā?) Why is he not at home?
你们为什么来中国？(Nǐmen wèishénme lái Zhōngguó?) Why did you come to China?
为什么大家都站在这里？(Wèishénme dàjiā dōu zhàn zài zhèlǐ?) Why is everyone standing here?
“什么时候” is used to ask about the time. It’s often put after the subject.
Subject + 什么时候 + Verb phrase
e.g.
A：明天我们什么时候去机场？(Míngtiān wǒmen shénme shíhòu qù jīchǎng?) When will we go to the airport tomorrow?
B：明天早上八点半。(Míngtiān zǎoshang bā diǎn bàn.) It’s half past eight tomorrow morning.
A：你什么时候来的？(Nǐ shénme shíhòu lái de?) When did you come?
B：我是去年来的。(Wǒ shì qùnián lái de.) I came last year.
A：他们什么时候离开北京？(Tāmen shénme shíhòu líkāi Běijīng?) When do they leave Beijing?
B：下周三晚上。(Xià zhōusān wǎnshàng.) Next Wednesday night.
“什么样” is used to ask about the characteristics of someone or the quality of something. It’s often used as an attribute.
Subject + Verb + 什么样 + 的 + Noun？
e.g.
A：你的爸爸是什么样的人？(Nǐ de bàba shì shénme yàng de rén?) What kind of person is your father?
B：他是一个很温柔的人。(Tā shì yīgè hěn wēnróu de rén.) He is a very gentle person.
A：她想要什么样的男朋友？(Tā xiǎng yào shénme yàng de nán péngyǒu?) What kind of boyfriend does she want?
B：又高又帅的。(Yòu gāo yòu shuài de.) Tall and handsome.
A：你喜欢什么样的汉语老师？(Nǐ xǐhuān shénme yàng de hànyǔ lǎoshī?) What kind of Chinese teacher do you like?
B：我喜欢严格一点儿的汉语老师。(Wǒ xǐhuān yángé yīdiǎnr de hànyǔ lǎoshī.) I like strict Chinese teachers.
A：你的新裙子是什么样的？(Nǐ de xīn qúnzi shì shénme yàng de?) What is your new skirt like?
B：白色的长裙。(Báisè de cháng qún.) A long white dress.
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4 Responses
Heheh got 7/8
Thank you very much.
This is very important for me as I am appearing for the A/L examination this year.I did this to the best of my ability..Thank you very much.
谢谢您。
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