Question words 什么, 谁, 哪儿 — Chinese grammar (HSK 1)

Statement with the question word in the answer's slot

Chinese question words stay exactly where the answer would go; the word order does not change. 什么 (what), 谁 (who) and 哪儿 (where) simply replace the unknown part of a normal sentence. So "Where are you going?" is literally "You go where?".

Examples

这是什么？ Zhè shì shénme?	What is this?
他是谁？ Tā shì shéi?	Who is he?
你去哪儿？ Nǐ qù nǎr?	Where are you going?

Tip: Do not move the question word to the front the way English does; 什么是这 is wrong.