Korean question words fit into the sentence where the answer goes.
Korean question words are not only vocabulary items. They often need the right particle, verb ending, and word order to sound natural in a real question.
Common Korean question words
Start with the basic meaning, then check the particle and ending that make the full sentence work.
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누구
Who
누구세요? asks who someone is. 누구를 만났어요? asks whom someone met.
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뭐 / 무엇
What
뭐 해요? asks what someone is doing. 무엇 is a little fuller or more formal than 뭐.
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어디
Where
어디에 가요? asks where someone is going. 어디에서 공부해요? asks where the studying happens.
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언제
When
언제 만나요? asks when you meet. 언제부터 시작해요? asks when something starts from.
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왜
Why
왜 늦었어요? asks why someone was late. 왜 can sound direct, so tone and context matter.
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어떻게
How
어떻게 해요? asks how to do something. 어떻게 왔어요? can ask how someone came.
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몇
How many or what number
몇 시예요? asks what time it is. 몇 개 샀어요? asks how many items someone bought.
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얼마
How much
얼마예요? asks how much something costs. 얼마나 걸려요? asks how long something takes.
How to make questions sound natural
The question word is only one part of the sentence. The particle and ending often decide whether the question sounds clear.
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Attach the particle the answer would need
If the answer would use 이/가, the question often uses 누가 or 뭐가. If the answer is an object, 누구를 or 뭐를 may fit.
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Choose 에 or 에서 for where questions
어디에 often points to destination or existence. 어디에서 points to where an action happens.
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Match the ending to the listener
왜 그래요? and 왜 그래? are both understandable, but they fit different relationships.
Related grammar guides
Question words work closely with Korean particles, 은/는 vs 이/가, and Korean sentence endings.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main Korean question words?
Common Korean question words include 누구, 뭐 or 무엇, 어디, 언제, 왜, 어떻게, 몇, and 얼마.
Where do Korean question words go in a sentence?
They usually appear where the answer would appear in the sentence, often with the right particle attached.
Do Korean questions always need a question mark?
In writing, a question mark is common, but the sentence ending and context also show that the sentence is a question.