Language/Fijian/Grammar/Wh-Questions
Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn how to ask and answer wh-questions in Fijian. Wh-questions are questions that begin with words like 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why', and 'how'. By the end of this lesson, you will understand how to form and use these types of questions in various situations.
Word Order in Wh-Questions
In Fijian, wh-questions have the same basic word order as affirmative sentences: subject-verb-object. However, the wh-word is placed at the beginning of the sentence, before the subject.
For example:
Fijian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Ko cei | ko they | Who is it? |
Ai cava | eye thava | What is it? |
Sei dau mai? | sey dow my | Where are you coming from? |
Notice that in the first example, the subject 'who' (cei) comes before the verb 'is' (ko). In the second example, the object 'what' (cava) comes before the verb 'is' (ai). In the third example, the verb 'are coming' (dau mai) is split by the subject 'you' (sei).
Wh-Question Words
Here are some common wh-question words in Fijian:
- Ko cei - Who
- Ai cava - What
- Sei kina - Where
- Na vei siga - When
- Na vakaevei - How
- E cava na vaka-i-koya - Why
These words may be used alone, or they may be part of a longer question.
Here are some examples:
Fijian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Ko cei oti na boi vinaka e matana? | ko they otee na boy vinaka e mathana? | Who taught him good manners? |
Ai cava oqo? | eye thawvowko | What is this? |
Sei kina na nomuni vale? | sey keenah na nomunee vahleh | Where is your house? |
Na vei siga na nomuni lako tiko mai ei? | na vey sengah nude nomunee lacko teeko mai eh? | When did you arrive here? |
Na vakaevei na tamata oqo? | na vakah-eh-vey nah tamana oawo ? | How is this person? |
E cava na vaka-i-koya me mmuri au kina? | eh thahvah-ee-coya meh mmoo-ree ow keenah | Why should I follow him there? |
Note that wh-questions in Fijian often include additional words to specify the details of the question.
Using Ko
In Fijian, the word 'ko' is often used to mark the subject of a sentence. This is true for both affirmative sentences and wh-questions. However, 'ko' is not always required in wh-questions.
Here are some examples:
Fijian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Ceva na yacana? | theyvah na yathana? | What is his name? |
Na cava na nomu bula? | na thava na nomu boo-la? | What is your life like? |
Na yalo çava na vei kerekerei iko mo ni muri au kina? | na yalo thava na vay ker-e-kereh iko mo nee moo-ree ow keenah? | What is your opinion about following me there? |
Notice that in the first example, the subject 'his name' (yacana) is not marked by 'ko', because it is not the first word in the sentence. In the second example, the subject 'your life' (nomu bula) is not marked by 'ko' either. In the third example, the subject 'your