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Hindi Mitra

Kya, kaun, kahaan: asking questions

L1About 20 minutes

What you will learn

  • Use kya, kaun, kahaan, kab, kyon and kitna
  • Ask where something is
  • Ask the price of something
  • Place the question word correctly in a sentence

English explanation

Section titled “English explanation”

Six question words cover most everyday questions:

Hindi Meaning Example
kya what Yeh kya hai?
kaun who Woh kaun hai?
kahaan where Station kahaan hai?
kab when Meeting kab hai?
kyon why Tum yahaan kyon ho?
kitna how much / how many Yeh kitne ka hai?

In Hindi the question word normally stays inside the sentence, right before the verb. You do not move it to the front as in English: Station kahaan hai? (Station where is?). This is similar to Tamil.

To get someone’s attention politely, start with Suniye (literally “please listen”), like “Excuse me”.

Kitna changes with the thing counted: kitna (masculine), kitni (feminine), kitne (masculine plural). For prices you will mostly hear kitne ka hai.

தமிழில்

முக்கியமான கேள்விச் சொற்கள்: kya (என்ன), kaun (யார்), kahaan (எங்கே), kab (எப்போது), kyon (ஏன்), kitna (எவ்வளவு). தமிழைப் போலவே இந்தியிலும் கேள்விச் சொல் வாக்கியத்தின் நடுவில், வினைக்கு முன்னால் வரும்: Station kahaan hai? ஒருவரின் கவனத்தைத் திருப்ப Suniye என்று தொடங்குங்கள். விலை கேட்க Yeh kitne ka hai? என்று சொல்லுங்கள்.

Vocabulary

HindiSay itEnglishTamil
kyaKYAAwhat; also starts a yes/no questionஎன்ன; ...ஆ?
kaunKAUNwhoயார்
kahaanka-HAANwhereஎங்கே
kabKABwhenஎப்போது
kyonKYONwhyஏன்
kitna
M: kitna / kitne F: kitni
KIT-naahow much, how manyஎவ்வளவு, எத்தனை
yahaanya-HAANhereஇங்கே
wahaanwa-HAANthereஅங்கே
suniyesu-NEE-yeexcuse me; please listenகேளுங்கள், மன்னிக்கவும் (கவனத்தைத் திருப்ப)

Example sentences

Yeh kya hai?
yeh KYAA hai
What is this?
இது என்ன?
Woh kaun hai?
woh KAUN hai
Who is he/she?
அவர் யார்?
Station kahaan hai?
STE-shan ka-HAAN hai
Where is the station?
ரயில் நிலையம் எங்கே இருக்கிறது?
Meeting kab hai?
MEE-ting KAB hai
When is the meeting?
சந்திப்பு எப்போது?
Tum yahaan kyon ho?
tum ya-HAAN KYON ho
Why are you here?
நீ ஏன் இங்கே இருக்கிறாய்?
Kyon nahin?
KYON na-HEEN
Why not?
ஏன் இல்லை?
Yeh kitne ka hai?
yeh KIT-ne kaa hai
How much is this?
இது எவ்வளவு?

Real-life dialogue

Asking the way at the station

Rahul
Suniye, station kahaan hai?
su-NEE-ye STE-shan ka-HAAN hai
Excuse me, where is the station?
மன்னிக்கவும், ரயில் நிலையம் எங்கே?
Stranger
Station wahaan hai.
STE-shan wa-HAAN hai
The station is over there.
ரயில் நிலையம் அங்கே இருக்கிறது.
Rahul
Aur ticket counter kahaan hai?
aur TI-ket KAUN-tar ka-HAAN hai
And where is the ticket counter?
டிக்கெட் கவுண்டர் எங்கே?
Stranger
Woh bhi wahaan hai.
woh BHEE wa-HAAN hai
That is also over there.
அதுவும் அங்கேதான்.
Rahul
Theek hai.
THEEK hai
Okay.
சரி.

Exercises

  1. Ask 'Where is the bus stop?' (use bus stop as in English).

    Show answer

    Bus stop kahaan hai?

  2. Ask 'Who is this?'

    Show answer

    Yeh kaun hai?

  3. Ask 'When is the train?'

    Show answer

    Train kab hai?

Quiz

Quick quiz

1. Which word means 'where'?

2. How do you ask 'Who is he?'

3. How do you ask the price of something?

4. What does 'Meeting kab hai?' ask?

Lesson summary

  • kya = what, kaun = who, kahaan = where, kab = when, kyon = why, kitna = how much.
  • The question word usually comes just before the verb.
  • Suniye gets someone's attention politely.
  • Yeh kitne ka hai? asks the price.