Language/Hindi/Grammar/Question-Words

Hindi → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Questions and Negations → Question Words

As a Hindi language teacher with 20 years of experience, I have noticed that many beginners struggle with asking questions in Hindi. In this lesson, we will focus on Hindi question words and how to form questions using them. Having a good understanding of question words is essential for effective communication in Hindi.

Introduction

In Hindi, question words are called "prashna vachak shabd." Like in English, Hindi question words are used to elicit specific information from the listener. When using question words, it is essential to pay attention to the sentence structure and word order. In Hindi, the word order of a sentence is subject-object-verb (SOV). It may seem challenging at first, but with practice, it will become natural.

Hindi Question Words

There are several question words in Hindi, which can be divided into the following categories:

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns in Hindi are used to ask for specific information about a person or thing. The most common interrogative pronouns are:

• कौन (kaun) - who
• क्या (kyaa) - what
• कैसा (kaisaa) - what kind of
• कैसे (kaise) - how

A few examples are as follows:

Hindi	Pronunciation	English
कौन है?	kaun hai?	Who is it?
क्या आप भूखे हैं?	kyaa aap bhukhe hain?	Are you hungry?
आज कैसा दिन था?	aaj kaisaa din thaa?	How was your day today?
आप कैसे हैं?	aap kaise hain?	How are you?

Interrogative Adjectives

Interrogative adjectives in Hindi are used to ask specific questions about a person, thing or place. The most common interrogative adjectives are:

• कौनसा (kaunsaa) - which
• किस (kis) - which
• कैसा (kaisaa) - what kind of

A few examples are as follows:

Hindi	Pronunciation	English
कौनसा केक आपका पसंदीदा है?	kaunsaa cake aapkaa pasandeedaa hai?	Which cake is your favorite?
आपकी किताब किस वर्ग की है?	aapki kitaab kis varg kee hai?	Which class does your book belong to?
आपको कैसा खाना पसंद है?	aapko kaisaa khaanaa pasand hai?	What kind of food do you like?

Interrogative Adverbs

Interrogative adverbs in Hindi are used to ask questions about time, place, manner, degree, and reason. The most common interrogative adverbs are:

• कब (kab) - when
• कहाँ (kahaan) - where
• कैसे (kaise) - how
• किसलिए (kisliye) - why

A few examples are as follows:

Hindi	Pronunciation	English
आज कब जाना है?	aaj kab jaanaa hai?	When do we have to go today?
आप कहाँ रहते हैं?	aap kahaan rahte hain?	Where do you live?
आप ऐसा कैसे कर सकते हैं?	aap aysaa kaise kar sakte hain?	How can you do that?
तुम्हारी फ़िल्म कुछ समझ में नहीं आई, किसलिए?	tumhaaree film kuch samajh me nahi aayee, kisliye?	I didn't understand your movie, why?

How to form questions using Hindi question words

To form a question in Hindi, we must follow the SOV sentence structure and place the question word at the beginning of the sentence. For example:

• आप कैसे हैं? (aap kaise hain?) - How are you?

Here are some examples of questions using question words:

Hindi	Pronunciation	English
क्या तुम यहीं से हो?	kyaa tum yahaa se ho?	Are you from here?
कब तक पार्टी होगी?	kab tak party hogee?	Until when will the party go on?
तुम कैसे अच्छा लगते हो?	tum kaise achchhaa lagte ho?	How do you look so good?

Tips and tricks

Learning Hindi question words can be intimidating for beginners, but with practice, it becomes natural. Here are some tips and tricks to help you:

• Whenever you encounter a question in Hindi, remember the SOV sentence structure and place the question word at the beginning of the sentence.
• Practice with a native speaker, friend or teacher. Speaking Hindi with others can help you build your confidence and fluency.
• Listen to Hindi music, watch movies or TV shows. It will help you pick up Hindi question words and familiarize yourself with the language.
• Practice, practice, practice! Consistent practice is the key to mastering Hindi question words.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Hindi question words are an essential part of effective communication in Hindi. They help us elicit specific information from the listener and express ourselves. In this lesson, we have covered the most common Hindi question words and how to form questions using them. Remember to practice consistently and seek help from native speakers, friends or teachers whenever possible. Keep up the good work!

Table of Contents - Hindi Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verbs

• Personal Pronouns
• Basic Verbs

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Questions and Negations

• Question Words
• Negation

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Indian Names and Titles

• Common Indian Names
• Addressing People

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Adverbs of Manner

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Indian Festivals and Holidays

• Major Festivals
• Public Holidays

Related Lessons

• Personal Pronouns
• Imperative Mood
• Past Tense
• Gender
• How to Use Be
• Adverbs of Manner
• Conditional Mood
• Future Tense
• Descriptive Adjectives
• How to Use Have