Asking Questions in Russian
Questions are how you learn a language inside the language. Russian makes them easy: put the question word first, keep the rest of the sentence unchanged, and you're done. No "do", no word-order gymnastics.
The Big Five
| Russian | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| кто | who | Кто это? — Who is this? |
| что | what | Что это? — What is this? |
| где | where | Где метро? — Where is the metro? |
| когда | when | Когда? — Завтра. (When? — Tomorrow.) |
| почему | why | Почему? — Why? |
Где мой телефон?
Where is my phone?
Note: Question word first, then the sentence exactly as you'd say it anyway.
Remember: a statement becomes a yes/no question without changing a single word — just raise the melody. Это дом. → Это дом? Russians hear the question mark in your voice.
какой — What Kind
Какой asks which one or what kind: Какой это дом? — Большой! It changes shape to match the noun, like an adjective — какой дом, какая книга, какое окно. For now, just recognize its three faces.
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| какой | Какой это дом? | What kind of house is this? |
| какая | Какая это книга? | What kind of book is this? |
| какое | Какое это окно? | Which window is this? |
The Learner's Superpower
Как это по-русски?
How do you say this in Russian?
Note: Point at anything and ask. Every Russian speaker becomes your teacher.
Как means how — you know it from Как дела? Its cousin phrases carry your whole learning life: Как это по-русски? (how is this in Russian?), Как сказать…? (how do you say…?).
Tiny Answers
Answers can be one word. Кто это? — Анна. Где кот? — Вот он!
Вот is the pointing word — here is: Вот дом — here's the house. Вот, пожалуйста — here you are (handing something over).
Что это?
What is this?
Это борщ.
It's borscht.
А где ложка?
And where's the spoon?
Вот она!
Here it is!
Common Mistakes
- Adding a helper verb. No Russian "do": Где ты работаешь? — literally "where you work?"
- Mixing кто and что for animals. Pets are кто (who) — Russians count them as someones.
- Forgetting the rising melody. Это чай. and Это чай? differ only in intonation — flat delivery turns your question into a statement.
What You Can Do Now
You can ask for any fact you're missing: who, what, where, when, why, which — and when a word is missing, «Как это по-русски?» fills the gap on the spot.