Language/Odia/Grammar/Wh-Questions
In this lesson, you will learn how to form questions with who, what, where, when, why, and how in Odia. These types of questions are called Wh-questions because they all start with Wh-words.
Formation of Wh-Questions
To form a Wh-question in Odia, you simply replace the part of the sentence that you want to ask about with a Wh-word. The Wh-word comes at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the auxiliary verb (if there is one), and then the subject and the main verb in their normal order.
Let's see some examples:
- ତୁମେ କେତେ ଘର ଭାଡ଼ା ଦେବେ? (Tume kete ghara bhada deba?) - How much rent will you give for the house?
- ହେଲେନ୍ କେତେ ବର୍ଷ ରେହିଲେ? (Helen kete barsha rehile?) - How many years has Helen lived?
- ମାନ ଯେହୁଏନ୍ସ୍ କୌଣସି ସ୍କୁଲରେ ପଡ଼େ? (Mana Jehuens kaunasi schoolare pare?) - Which school does Mana Jehuens study in?
- ମୋ ଘର କେଉଁ ଲୁଚିଲା? (Mo ghara keu luchila?) - Who stole my house?
- ଘଡ଼ି କୌଣସି ସମୟରେ ହଟିଲା? (Ghadi kaunasi samayare hatila?) - When did the train leave?
- ତୁମେ କୌଣସି ବାହାରରେ ଯାଇବା? (Tume kaunasi baharare jaiba?) - Where will you go outside?
- ତୁମାକୁ କେମିତି ଲାଗିଛି? (Tumaku kemitika lagichhi?) - How are you feeling?
Here, we have used the Wh-words କେତେ (kete), କୌଣସି (kaunasi), କେଉଁ (keu), ସମୟ (samaya), କୌଣସି (kaunasi), କୌଣସି (kaunasi), and କେମିତି (kemiti) to form Wh-questions.
Note that in some cases, you may not need an auxiliary verb, as shown in the last example.
It's also important to note that when asking a Wh-question, the pitch of the voice should rise towards the end of the question.
Vocabulary
Before we move on to exercises, let's take a look at some vocabulary related to Wh-questions:
- କେତେ (kete) - How much/many
- କୌଣସି (kaunasi) - Which/who
- କେଉଁ (keu) - Who
- ସମୟ (samaya) - When
- କୌଣସି (kaunasi) - When
- କୌଣସି (kaunasi) - Where
- କେମିତି (kemiti) - How
Exercises
Translate the following sentences into Odia:
1. What is your name? 2. How many brothers do you have? 3. Where are you from? 4. When is your birthday? 5. Which book do you want? 6. Who gave you that present? 7. How did you get here?
Check your answers below:
1. ତୁମର ନାମ କେଉଁ? (Tumara naam keu?) 2. ତୁମର ଭାଇଙ୍ଗା କେତେ ଅଛନ୍ତି? (Tumara bhainga kete achanti?) 3. ତୁମି କୌଣସି ଥାନେ ଥାଏ? (Tumi kaunasi thane thae?) 4. ତୁମର ଜନ୍ମଦିନ କୌଣସି ସମୟରେ? (Tumara janmadina kaunasi samayare?) 5. ତୁମି କୋଣସି ବହି ଚାହୁଁଛନ୍ତି? (Tumi kaunasi bahi chahunchanti?) 6. କୌଣସି ତୁମକୁ ତାଙ୍କ ଉପହାର ଦିଲେ? (Kaunasi tumaku tanka upahara dile?) 7. ତୁମି କେମିତି ଏଠି ଆସିଲା? (Tumi kemiti ethi asila?)
Congratulations! You have now learned how to form Wh-questions in Odia. In the next lesson, we will learn more about family and relationships in Odia.