Lesson 25
Let’s use our newly acquired school-related vocabulary to dive into how to use the Chinese words for who, what, why, where, which, when and how. We’ll learn how to structure sentences with these question words and examine questions that might be asked in a classroom environment.
Supplementary vocabulary
| 为什么 | wèishénme | why |
| 谁 | shéi | who |
| 怎么 | zěnme | how |
| 词 | cí | word |
| 意思 | yìsi | meaning |
| 回答 | huídá | reply; answer |
| 问题 | wèntí | question |
| 毕业 | bìyè | graduation; to graduate |
Who: 谁 (shéi )
谁 is also pronounced shuí.
Subject + 是 +谁?
1. 她是谁？
(tā shì shéi?)
Who is she?
2. 约翰是谁？
(yuēhàn shì shéi?)
Who is John?
谁 + verb?
3. 谁是你们班的老师?
(shéi shì nǐmen bān de lǎoshī?)
Who is the teacher for your class?
4. 谁想来试试？
(shéi xiǎnglái shì shi?)
Who wants to give it a try?
Whose: 谁的
5. 这是谁的作业？
(zhèshì shéi de zuòyè?)
Whose homework is this?
6. 那是谁的课本？
(nàshi shéi de kèběn?)
Whose textbook is that?
What: 什么 (shén me)
Subject + verb + 什么
1. 这是什么？
(zhèshì shénme?)
What is this?
2. 你想吃什么？
(nǐ xiǎng chī shénme? )
What do you want to eat?
3. 老师说了什么？
(lǎoshī shuō le shénme?)
What did teacher say?
4. 老师，这个词什么意思？
（lǎoshī, zhège cí shénme yìsi?）
Teacher, what does this word mean?
Why: 为什么 (wèi shén me)
Subject +为什么 + verb?
1. 你为什么没写作业？
(nǐ wèishénme méi xiězuò yè?)
Why didn’t you do your homework?
2. 你为什么迟到了？
（nǐ wèishénme chídào le?）
Why are you late?
3. 你为什么喜欢那本书？
(nǐ wèishénme xǐhuan nà běnshū?)
Why do you like that book?
4. 你为什么想请假？
(nǐ wèishénme xiǎng qǐngjià?)
Why do you want to take a leave of absence?
Where: 哪里 (nǎ lǐ) / 哪儿 (nǎr)
Subject + 在 + 哪里 / 哪儿？
1. 卫生间在哪儿？
(wèishēngjiān zài nǎr?)
Where is the bathroom?
2. 图书馆在哪里？
(túshūguǎn zài nǎlǐ?)
Where is the library?
3. 下节课的教室在哪里？
(xià jié kè de jiàoshì zài nǎlǐ?)
Where is the classroom for our next class?
Which: 哪 (nǎ)
Subject + verb + 哪 + measure word (+object)?
1. 你要哪个？
(nǐ yào nǎge?)
Which one do you want?
2. 你比较喜欢哪个课？
(nǐ bǐjiào xǐhuan nǎge kè?)
Which class do you like better?
哪+ measure word + verb + object?
3. 哪本书比较好看？
(nǎ běnshū bǐjiào hǎokàn?)
Which book is more interesting?
4. 哪份作业是她的？
（nǎ fèn zuòyè shì tā de?）
Which assignment is hers?
When: 什么时候 (shén me shí hou)
Subject + 什么时候 + verb?
1. 你们什么时候下课？
(Nǐmen shénme shíhòu xià kè?)
When do you finish class?
2. 他什么时候毕业？
(tā shénmeshíhou bìyè?)
When is he graduating?
3. 这份作业我们什么时候要交？
（zhèfèn zuòyè wǒmen shénmeshíhou yào jiāo?）
When do we have to submit this assignment?
Subject + 是 + 什么时候
4. 你的生日是什么时候？
(nǐde shēngrì shì shénmeshíhou?)
When is your birthday?
5. 考试是什么时候？
（kǎoshì shì shénmeshíhou?）
When is the exam?
How: 怎么 (zěn me)
Subject (+ adverb) + 怎么 + verb + object?
1. 这个词怎么读？
(zhège cí zěnme dú?)
How do you ready this word?
2. 我怎么去食堂？
(wǒ zěnme qù shítáng?)
How do I get to the cafeteria?
3. 你怎么不写作业？
(nǐ zěnme bù xiězuò yè? )
How come you aren’t doing your homework?
4. 我应该怎么回答这个问题？
(wǒ yīnggāi zěnme huídá zhège wèntí?)
How should I answer this question?
What you’ve learnt
You have just seen the vocabulary from the previous lesson used with six key Chinese question words to form commonly used school-related questions.
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