Let’s imagine, you met someone and wanted to inquire about them. What will you be asking them, “How are you?”, “Where have you been?”Words like “How”, and “Where” are known as Question words or wh-words. These words are crucial in the English language, they help us to know about a person, or a situation or delve into a specific topic.
In English, the most common Interrogative words are “What”, “Where”, “How”, and “Who” etc. Let’s learn more about Question words, their meaning, how to use them in our daily conversation, and how to answer them.
Who:
It is used to inquire about a person’s identity.
Example: Who was on the phone?
फोन पर कौन था?
Shweta was on the phone.
श्वेता फोन पर थी।
Example: Who is there with Rohan?
रोहन के साथ कौन है?
He is there with his friend.
वह वहां अपने दोस्त के साथ है।
What:
It is used to seek information about objects, situations, events, or ideas.
Example: What are you doing on Sunday?
आप रविवार को क्या कर रहे हैं?
I am going for a picnic.
मैं पिकनिक पर जा रहा हूँ।
Example: What are you wearing?
आप क्या पहन रहे हैं?
I am wearing a skirt.
मैंने स्कर्ट पहन रखी है।
Where:
It is used to inquire about a person, object, or a situation’s specific location/ place.
Example: Where were you on Friday morning?
शुक्रवार की सुबह आप कहाँ थे?
I was at home.
मैं अपने घर पर था।
Example: Where are we going on vacation?
हम छुट्टी पर कहाँ जा रहे हैं?
We are going to Mumbai.
हम मुंबई जा रहे हैं।
When:
It is used to inquire about the timings of a situation.
Example: When are they coming?
वे कब आ रहे हैं?
They are coming on Monday.
वे सोमवार को आ रहे हैं।
Example: When did the accident happen?
दुर्घटना कब हुई?
It happened at 2 pm.
दोपहर 2 बजे हुआ।
Why:
It is used to inquire about the reason, and cause behind a situation.
Example: Why is Sameer not talking to me?
समीर मुझसे बात क्यों नहीं कर रहा है?
He is angry because you didn’t let him borrow your book.
वह नाराज है क्योंकि आपने उसे अपनी किताब उधार नहीं लेने दी।
Example: Why were you absent yesterday?
तुम कल अनुपस्थित क्यों थे?
I was not well.
मैं ठीक नहीं था।
How:
It is used to inquire about a person’s or a situation’s state. It is also used to inquire about the method to do a particular thing.
Example: How is she feeling?
वह कैसा महसूस कर रही है?
She is doing better.
वह बेहतर कर रही है।
Example: How are you going to make that pasta?
आप उस पास्ता को कैसे बनाने जा रहे हैं?
I am going to boil it first, and then cook it.
मैं इसे पहले उब्लाउंगा और फिर इसे पकाऊँगा।
Which:
It is used to inquire about specific choices among several options.
Example: Which dress are you buying?
आप कौन सी ड्रेस खरीद रहे हैं?
I am buying the pink one.
मैं गुलाबी वाला खरीद रहा हूँ।
Example: Which is your favourite movie?
आपकी प्रिय फिल्म कौन सी है?
My favourite movie is Finding Nemo.
मेरी पसंदीदा फिल्म फाइंडिंग निमो है।
Whose:
It is used to inquire about the possession or ownership of something.
Example: Whose car is parked there?
वहां किसकी कार खड़ी है?
It is Simran’s car.
यह सिमरन की कार है।
Example: Whose car Shweta is going in?
श्वेता किसकी कार में जा रही हैं?
Shweta is going in Simran’s car.
श्वेता सिमरन की कार में जा रही है।
Whom:
It is used to inquire about the person receiving a certain action.
Example: Whom are you inviting to the party?
आप पार्टी में किसे आमंत्रित कर रहे हैं?
I am inviting the Kapoor family.
मैं कपूर परिवार को आमंत्रित कर रहा हूं।
Example: To whom did you give the book?
आपने किताब किसे दी?
I gave it to Roshan.
मैंने रोशन को दे दिया।
How many:
It is used to inquire about the quantity of a countable noun.
Example: How many guests are there at the party?
पार्टी में कितने मेहमान हैं?
There are 300 guests.
300 मेहमान हैं।
Example: How many books are there in the bag?
बस्ता में कितनी किताबें हैं?
There are 4 books.
4 पुस्तकें हैं।
How much:
It is used to inquire about the quantity of an uncountable noun.
Example: How much sugar do you want?
आपको कितनी शक्कर चाहिए?
I will have a spoonful of sugar.
मैं एक चम्मच चीनी लूंगा।
Example: How much salt did you use?
आपने कितना नमक इस्तेमाल किया?
I used a pinch of salt.
मैंने एक चुटकी नमक का इस्तेमाल किया।
How often:
It is used to inquire about the regularity of an action or an event.
Example: How often do you go to the movies?
आप कितनी बार फिल्म देखने जाते हैं?
Once a month.
मैं महीने में एक बार जाता हूं।
Example: How often does she come?
वह कितनी बार आती है?
She comes every Wednesday.
वह हर बुधवार को आती है।
Question words are an essential tool for effective communication, enabling us to gather information about a person, place, object, or situation.
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