Korean/Questions

Forming questions

To form questions in high form (존댓말), simply add the ending 습니까? if the verb stem ends in a consonant or ㅂ니까? if it ends in a vowel.

• Example: 당신은 어디로 가고 있습니까? (Where are you going?)

When forming questions in middle and low form, the questions are implied by a rising final tone, much like in English. The ending for middle form is 요? For low form, just leave off any ending and use just the raw verb stem.

• Example(middle): 당신은 언제 미국에 왔어요? (When did you come to America?)

• Example(low): 넌 어디 갔다왔어? (Where have you been?)

Interrogative pronouns

무엇

The interrogative pronoun 무엇 means "what". In speech, it is often contracted to 뭐:

• 이게 뭐예요?

  What is this?

• 뭐라고 했어요?

  What did [you] say?

• 뭐하니?

  What are [you] doing?

The pronoun 누구 means "who". It contracts before 가 to make 누가.

The pronoun 어디 means "where".