Beginner 1 > Lesson 22
Lesson 22. Question Words 1 (What, Who, Where, When, How, and Why)
In the previous lesson, we’ve learned how to ask yes/no questions in Korean using different endings.
In this lesson, we’re going to learn specific Korean question words.
무엇 (what) = 뭐 (뭐 is more commonly used than 무엇, especially in spoken form)
뭐해(요)? – What are you doing?
뭐 공부해(요)? – What are you studying?
뭐야?/뭐예요? – What is it?
이름이 뭐야?/이름이 뭐예요? – What is your name?
달고나 커피가 뭐야?/ 달고나 커피가 뭐예요? – What is Dalgona coffee?
뭐 먹을래(요)? – What will you eat? (or, What do you want to eat?)
누구 (who)
누구야?/누구세요? – Who are you?
누구 좋아해(요)? – Whom do you like?
누구랑 공부해(요)? – Whom are you studying with?
누가 했어(요)? – Who did that?
*when 누구 combines with the subject marker 가, it becomes 누가.
어디 (where)
어디야?/어디예요?/어디인가요? – Where are you? (or, Where is it?)
은행이 어디야?/은행이 어디예요?/은행이 어디인가요? – Where is the bank?
A: 어디 살아?/어디 살아요? – Where do you live?
B: 저는 서울(에) 살아요. (or, 저는 서울에서 살아요). – I live in Seoul.
A: 어디 가(요)? – Where are you going?
B: 저는 학교(에) 가(요). – I’m going to school.
A: 어디에서 일해(요)? – Where do you work at?
B: 회사에서 일해(요)? – I work at a company.
A: 어디에서 샀니? – Where did you buy it?
B: 문구점에서 샀어요. – I bought it at a stationery store.
A: 공부해(요)? – Where do you study at?
B: 도서관에서 공부해요? – I study at the library.
언제 (when)
언제야?/언제예요? – When is it?
시험이 언제야?/시험이 언제예요? – When is the exam?
생일이 언제야?/생일이 언제예요? – When is your birthday?
언제 가(요)? – Where are you going?
언제 왔어요? – When did you come?
한국어 언제부터* 배웠어(요)? – When did you start learning Korean?
*부터 is a place particle and can be used to mean “from”.
언제까지 공부할 거야?/ 언제까지 공부할 거예요? – Till when are you going study?
어떻게 (how)
어떻게(요)? – How?
어떻게 지내(요)? – How are you doing?
어떻게 해(요)? – How do you do it?
지갑이 없어졌어. 어떡해*? – My wallet is gone. What should I do?
늦었어요. 어떡해*요? – I’m late. What should I do?
*어떡해 can be used to mean “What should I do?” and sounds exactly like “어떻게”.
The difference between “어떻게” and “어떡해” can be defined by the context, for example:
A: 나 차 고쳤어! – I fixed the car!
B: 어떻게? – How?
A: 내 강아지가 도망갔어! – My puppy went away!
B: 어떡해! – What should we do?
한국어 공부 어떻게 했어(요)? – How did you study Korean?
어떻게 알았어(요)? – How did you know?
어때(요)? – How is it?
왜 (why)
왜(요)? – Why?
왜 안 왔어(요)? – Why didn’t you come?
왜 안 했어(요)? – Why didn’t you do it?
왜 웃어(요)? – Why are you laughing?
왜 피곤해(요)? – Why are you tired?
왜 전화했어(요)? – Why did you call?
제프(씨)는 왜 울어(요)? – Why is Jeff crying?
Let’s look at some more examples before we finish:
뭐 먹어요? – What are you eating?
누가 전화했어요? – Who called?
한국어 어디에서 배웠어요? – Where did you learn Korean?
제프 씨는 어디에 살아요? – Where does Mr. Jeff live?
저녁 언제 먹었어요? – When did you have dinner?
엄마 언제 와요? – When is mom coming? (or, Mom, when will you come?)
서울(에) 어떻게 가요? – How to go to Seoul?
달고나 커피 어때? – How’s Dalgona coffee?
왜 늦었어요*? – Why are you late?
*the past form of 늦다 is used when you say that someone is late.