🎯 Korean Questions: Unlock the Power of Asking!
Imagine you’re a curious explorer visiting a magical land called Korea. You see amazing things everywhere, but there’s one problem—you can’t ask questions! That would be like having a treasure map but not being able to ask “Where is the treasure?”
Good news: Korean questions are like adding a question mark to your adventure. Once you learn them, doors open everywhere!
🗝️ The Magic Key: Yes/No Questions
How It Works
In English, we flip words around: “You are happy” → “Are you happy?”
In Korean? Much easier! You just add a little sound at the end. That’s it. No word flipping needed!
The Formula:
Statement + rising tone (↗️) = Question
Examples
| Statement | Meaning | Question (same words!) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 학생이에요 | I am a student | 학생이에요? ↗️ | Are you a student? |
| 좋아요 | It’s good | 좋아요? ↗️ | Is it good? |
| 가요 | I go | 가요? ↗️ | Do you go? |
Think of it like this: In Korean, your voice does the work, not the words!
🎵 Question Intonation: Your Voice Goes Up!
The Secret Sauce
When you ask a yes/no question in Korean, your voice rises at the end like a roller coaster going up! 🎢
Statement: 맛있어요. (It's delicious.)
➡️➡️➡️⬇️
Question: 맛있어요? (Is it delicious?)
➡️➡️➡️⬆️
Practice Examples
| Phrase | As Statement ⬇️ | As Question ⬆️ |
|---|---|---|
| 한국 사람이에요 | You are Korean. | Are you Korean? |
| 커피 좋아해요 | You like coffee. | Do you like coffee? |
| 집에 가요 | You go home. | Are you going home? |
Pro Tip: 🚀 Record yourself! Say the same sentence twice—flat, then rising. You’ll hear the difference!
🔍 The Question Words: Your Detective Tools
Now let’s learn the 5 magical question words that help you find anything!
Think of these like keys on a keychain. Each key opens a different door.
뭐/무엇 (What) — The Curious Explorer 🧐
The Two Forms
| Form | When to Use | Feeling |
|---|---|---|
| 뭐 (mwo) | Casual, everyday | Friendly, relaxed |
| 무엇 (moo-eot) | Formal, written | Polite, professional |
They mean the same thing — just different levels of formality!
Pattern
뭐/무엇 + verb + 요?
Examples
| Korean | English | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| 이거 뭐예요? | What is this? | Pointing at something |
| 뭐 먹어요? | What are you eating? | Lunchtime chat |
| 뭐 해요? | What are you doing? | Checking on a friend |
| 이름이 뭐예요? | What is your name? | Meeting someone |
Memory Trick: 🧠 “Mwo” sounds like “more” — you want to know more about what something is!
누구 (Who) — The People Finder 👤
How It Works
누구 (nu-gu) helps you identify people. It’s like a spotlight that shines on someone!
Pattern
누구 + verb + 요?
Examples
| Korean | English | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| 누구예요? | Who is it? | Someone knocks |
| 저 사람 누구예요? | Who is that person? | Seeing someone |
| 누구 좋아해요? | Who do you like? | Fun gossip |
| 누구랑 가요? | Who are you going with? | Making plans |
Memory Trick: 🧠 “Nu-gu” sounds like “New guy” — you’re asking about a new person!
어디 (Where) — The Location Finder 📍
How It Works
어디 (eo-di) helps you find places. It’s your GPS in word form!
Pattern
어디 + verb + 요?
Examples
| Korean | English | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| 어디예요? | Where is it? | Looking for something |
| 어디 가요? | Where are you going? | Someone is leaving |
| 화장실 어디예요? | Where is the bathroom? | Very useful! 🚻 |
| 어디 살아요? | Where do you live? | Getting to know someone |
Memory Trick: 🧠 “Eo-di” — think “Oh, dear, where is it?”
언제 (When) — The Time Detective ⏰
How It Works
언제 (eon-je) helps you find out about time. It’s like asking the clock to speak!
Pattern
언제 + verb + 요?
Examples
| Korean | English | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| 언제예요? | When is it? | Asking about an event |
| 언제 와요? | When are you coming? | Waiting for someone |
| 언제 시작해요? | When does it start? | Movie, class, party |
| 생일 언제예요? | When is your birthday? | 🎂 |
Memory Trick: 🧠 “Eon-je” sounds like “on J-day” — on what day?
🎯 The Big Picture: All Question Words Together
graph TD A["❓ Korean Questions"] --> B["Yes/No Questions"] A --> C["Question Words"] B --> D["Same words + rising tone ↗️"] C --> E["뭐/무엇 = What"] C --> F["누구 = Who"] C --> G["어디 = Where"] C --> H["언제 = When"]
🏆 Quick Reference Chart
| Question Word | Korean | Pronunciation | Use For |
|---|---|---|---|
| What | 뭐 / 무엇 | mwo / mu-eot | Things, objects, actions |
| Who | 누구 | nu-gu | People |
| Where | 어디 | eo-di | Places, locations |
| When | 언제 | eon-je | Time, dates |
💡 Golden Rules to Remember
Rule 1: Word Order is Flexible
Unlike English, you can move question words around!
- 뭐 먹어요? = What are you eating?
- 먹어요, 뭐? = Eating what? (more casual)
Rule 2: Context is King
Koreans often drop words when the meaning is clear:
- “어디?” by itself can mean “Where?” or “Where are you going?”
Rule 3: Tone Matters
- Rising tone ↗️ = Question
- Flat/falling tone ➡️ = Statement
🌟 Real Conversation Example
Scenario: You’re at a café in Seoul
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| A: 뭐 마셔요? | What are you drinking? |
| B: 커피요. | Coffee. |
| A: 어디 커피예요? | Where is the coffee from? |
| B: 스타벅스요. | Starbucks. |
| A: 맛있어요? | Is it delicious? |
| B: 네, 맛있어요! | Yes, it’s delicious! |
🎉 You Did It!
You now have 5 powerful tools to ask questions in Korean:
- ✅ Yes/No questions — Just raise your voice!
- ✅ 뭐/무엇 — For “what”
- ✅ 누구 — For “who”
- ✅ 어디 — For “where”
- ✅ 언제 — For “when”
With these, you can explore Korea, make friends, find places, and understand when things happen.
Your voice is now your question mark! 🎤❓