1️⃣

questioning words

 
notion image

뭐 What

The formal version is '무엇', but in everyday conversation, Koreans typically use '뭐', which is shorter and easier to say.
뭐예요?
What is it?
 
뭐 해요?
What are you doing?
 
무엇을 좋아해요?
What do you like?

 

몇(+ counter) What

It's used to ask about numbers and always appears with a counter directly after it, functioning together as a single unit.
지금 몇 시예요?
What time is it?
 
몇 살이에요?
How old are you?
 
 

어느, 무슨, 어떤 (+ noun) What

어느, 무슨, and 어떤 all translate roughly to 'what' but each has distinct uses and nuances. Unlike 무엇(뭐) mentioned above, these words must be followed by a noun.
 
  • 어느 (which) : Choosing between options
      • 어느 영화를 볼까요? 스파이더맨? 어벤져스?
      Which movie shall we watch? Spider-Man? Avengers?
       
      어느 쪽으로 가요?
      Which way are you going?
       
  • 어떤 (What kind of): asking characteristics of a target (answers are normally adjectives).
      • A: 어떤 영화를 좋아해요?
      What kind of movies do you like?
      B: 로맨스 영화를 좋아해요.
      I like romance movies.
       
      어떤 음식을 제일 좋아해요?
      What kind of food do you like the most?
       
      어떤 사람을 좋아해요?
      What kind of person do you like?
       
  • 무슨 (What): asking the target itself.
      • A: 무슨 영화를 좋아해요?
      What movie do you like?
      B: ‘라라랜드’를 좋아해요.
      I like 'La La Land'.
       
      무슨 음식을 제일 좋아해요?
      What food do you like the most?
       
      오늘은 무슨 요일이에요?
      What day of the week is it today?
 
 
⇒ But Koreans usually mix up the meanings of 어떤 and 무슨
어떤 음식을 제일 좋아해요?
= 무슨 음식을 제일 좋아해요?
What food do you like the most?
 
 

누구/누가 Who

누구예요?
Who are you? / Who is that?
 
지수가 누구를 좋아해요?
Whom does Jisoo like?
 
누가 지수를 좋아해요?
Who likes Jisoo?
→ -가 is used as the subject marker. When asking who the subject is in a sentence, use '누가' instead of '누구'
 
누구한테 편지를 써요?
To whom are you writing a letter?
→ -한테 means ‘to (person)’
 
 

언제 When

생일이 언제예요?
When is your birthday?
 
기념일이 언제예요?
When is your anniversary?
 
언제 일어나요?
When do you wake up?
 
언제 학교에 가요?
When do you go to school?
 
 

어디 Where

화장실이 어디예요?
Where is the toilet?
 
거기가 어디예요?
Where is that place?
 
어디 가요?
Where are you going?
 
티켓 어디에서 사요?
Where do I buy tickets?
→ -에서 means ‘in’ or ‘at’.
 
 

어떻게 How (method)

어떻게 지내요?
How are you? (How have you been?)
 
경복궁에 어떻게 가요?
How do I go to the Kyungbokgong(palace)?
 
이거 어떻게 읽어요?
How do I read this?
 

얼마나 How (much)

얼마나 가요?
How long do I go (how long is the journey)?
 
얼마나 멀어요?
How far is it?
 
얼마나 매워요?
How spicy is it?
 
얼마나 자주 운동해요?
How often do you work out?
 
  • 얼마예요 How much is it?
      • 이 스마트폰 얼마예요?
      How much is this smartphone?
       
      김치 얼마예요?
      How much is the kimchi?
      → This expression can be used to ask about money or quantity, like in English, it's mainly used when asking about prices.
 

왜 Why

왜요?
Why?
 
한국어가 왜 어려워요?
Why is Korean difficult?
 
 
 
 
notion image
1.         매워요?
How spicy is it?
2. 거기         가요?
How can I get there?
3. 김치             ?
How much is this kimchi?
4.          울어요?
Why are you crying?
5.         아침을 먹어요?
When do you eat breakfast?
6. 화장실이         있어요?
Where is the toilet?
7.        선생님이에요?
Who is a teacher?
8.        를 만나요?
Whom do you meet?

Words & Answer

Words
영화
movie
볼까요?
shall we watch?
쪽
side, direction
음식
food
제일
most
사람
person
요일
day of the week
생일
birthday
기념일
anniversary
일어나다(일어나요)
to wake up
사다 (사요)
to buy
지내다(지내요)
to stay, to get along
가다 (가요)
to go
읽다 (읽어요)
to read
멀다 (멀어요)
to be far
맵다 (매워요)
to be spicy
운동하다 (운동해요)
to exercise
한국어
korean language
어렵다 (어려워요)
to be difficult
Answer
1. 얼마나 매워요?
How spicy is it?
2. 거기에 어떻게 가요?
How can I get there?
3. 김치 얼마예요?
How much is this kimchi?
4. 왜 울어요?
Why are you crying?
5. 언제 아침을 먹어요?
When do you eat breakfast?
6. 화장실이 어디 있어요?
Where is the toilet?
7. 누가 선생님이에요?
Who is a teacher?
8. 누구를 만나요?
Whom do you meet?