Difference between revisions of "Interrogative pronouns"

Latest revision as of 04:03, 25 April 2017

Interrogative pronouns are the pronouns you use to ask questions. The placement of question words is actually a little easier than it is in English, because Chinese doesn't move them around like English does. Instead, the question words stay "in-situ," that is, where the answer to the question will go.

The Pronouns

These are the main interrogative pronouns, often called "WH-words" in English because most of them start with those letters.

Question words
English	Chinese	Pinyin
who	谁	shéi
what	什么	shénme
where	哪里	nǎlǐ
when	什么时候	shénme shíhou
why	为什么	wèishénme
how	怎么	zěnme

The words to ask about quantity are 多少 and 几. 多少 is a versatile interrogative pronoun and can cover any number, but 几 is generally used for numbers 1 - 9. Additionally, 几 requires a measure word, but 多少 doesn't need one. Interrogative pronouns can act as indefinite references meaning "anything," "anyone," "something" or "someone." e.g. 谁都喜欢中国菜.

Sources

A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 95-105) →buy
Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 32-4) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 46-7)　→buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 135) →buy

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-疑问代词
+Interrogative pronouns are the pronouns you use to ask questions. The [[placement of question words]] is actually a little easier than it is in English, because Chinese doesn't move them around like English does. Instead, the question words stay "in-situ," that is, where the answer to the question will go.
-AKA: question words, wh-words
-== Potential content ==
+==The Pronouns==
-* Chinese word order: "in-situ" question words
+These are the main interrogative pronouns, often called "WH-words" in English because most of them start with those letters.
-* Interrogative pronouns for quantity: 多少 and 几
-** 多少 is a versatile interrogative pronoun and can cover any number; 几 is generally used for numbers 1 - 9.
+<div class="liju">
-** 几 must have a measure word, whereas 多少 can occur alone or with a measure word.
-*Interrogative pronouns can also mean "anything", "anyone", "something" or "someone" e.g. 谁都喜欢中国菜.
+{| class="wikitable"
+|+Question words
+|-
+! English !! Chinese !! Pinyin
+|-
+| who || 谁 || shéi
+|-
+| what || 什么 || shénme
+|-
+| where || 哪里 || nǎlǐ
+|-
+| when || 什么时候 || <span class="spaced">shénme shíhou</span>
+|-
+| why || 为什么 || wèishénme
+|-
+| how || 怎么 || zěnme
+|}
+</div>
+The words to ask about quantity are 多少 and 几. 多少 is a versatile interrogative pronoun and can cover any number, but 几 is generally used for numbers 1 - 9. Additionally, 几 requires a measure word, but 多少 doesn't need one. Interrogative pronouns can act as indefinite references meaning "anything," "anyone," "something" or "someone." e.g. 谁都喜欢中国菜.
 == Sources ==
-* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (pp. 95 - 105) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
+* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (pp. 95-105) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
+* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 32-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
+* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 46-7)　[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
 * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 135) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
 [[Category:Pronouns]]
+{{Used for| Asking questions}}