Asking Questions: Question Words

It is not possible to master a language without knowing how to ask questions. For it is in asking questions, that one actually clears one’s misunderstandings.

Teochew	Question Word	Standard Chinese
Diang5si5? [亻㐱]時｜[亻㐱]时	When?	什麼時候｜什么时候
Gui2diam2? 幾點｜几点	What time? When?	Ji3dian3幾點｜几点
di7gai5底個｜底个	What?	shen2me5 什麼｜什么
mih4gai5 乜個｜乜个	What?	shen2me5 什麼｜什么
di7go3 底块	Where?	na3li3 哪裡｜哪里
zo3ni5muêh8 咋呢物	How?	zen3me5 怎麼｜怎么
mih4nang5 乜人	Who?	shei2 誰｜谁
di7diang5 底[亻㐱]	Who?	shei2 誰｜谁
mih4sên1ion7 乜生樣	How are things?	zen3me5yang4 怎麼樣｜怎么样
sim6mih4 sên1’ion1 甚乜生樣	How are things?	zen3me5yang4怎麼樣｜怎么样
zai6sên1ion7在生樣	How are things?	zen3me5yang4 怎麼樣｜怎么样
rioh8zoi7 若㩼	How much? How many?	duo1shao5 多少
zo3ni5 咋呢	Why?	wei4shen2me5 為什麼｜为什么
mih4gai5 乜個｜乜个	Which ones?	na3xie1 哪些
si6 di7diang5gai5是底[亻㐱] 個	Whose?	誰的｜谁的
sim6mih4gai5 甚乜個	What?	shen2me5什麼｜什么

 An example of use:

Gai2 muêh8 si6 di7diang5 gai5? 個物是底[亻㐱] 個?

To whom does this belong? [colloquial speech: Who does this belong to?]

這個東西是誰的

Gai2 個	muêh8 物	si6 是	di7diang5底[亻㐱]	gai5個
this	thing	is	whose / whom	possessive particle
這個	東西	是	誰	個

 

NOTE: mih4gai5 vs di7gai5 Which ones? vs What?

If it is a multiple-choice answer – you will ask mih4gai5.

If it is an open-ended question, you will ask di7gai5.