Questions with 什么

什么 (shénme) means what. It stands in for the noun you do not know.

Unlike English, you do not move "what" to the front. Keep normal word order.

什么 lets you ask about anything you do not have the word for yet — one of the most useful question words for a beginner.

Structure

Subject + Verb + 什么？

你喜欢茶。 (Nǐ xǐhuan chá.) You like tea. → 你喜欢什么？ (Nǐ xǐhuan shénme?) What do you like?

这是茶。 (Zhè shì chá.) This is tea. → 这是什么？ (Zhè shì shénme?) What is this?

什么 can also sit directly in front of a noun to ask "what kind of ___":

Subject + Verb + 什么 + Noun？

你喜欢什么颜色？ (Nǐ xǐhuan shénme yánsè?) What color do you like?

Examples

这是什么东西？ Zhè shì shénme dōngxi?

Breakdown: 这 (this) · 是 (is) · 什么 (what) · 东西 (thing)

→ What is this?

你喜欢什么？ Nǐ xǐhuan shénme?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 喜欢 (like) · 什么 (what)

→ What do you like?

你叫什么名字？ Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 叫 (are called) · 什么 (what) · 名字 (name)

→ What is your name?

你做什么工作？ Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 做 (do) · 什么 (what) · 工作 (work)

→ What work do you do?

你喜欢什么颜色？ Nǐ xǐhuan shénme yánsè?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 喜欢 (like) · 什么 (what) · 颜色 (color)

→ What color do you like?

你喜欢什么电影？ Nǐ xǐhuan shénme diànyǐng?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 喜欢 (like) · 什么 (what) · 电影 (movie)

→ What movies do you like?

你喜欢什么音乐？ Nǐ xǐhuan shénme yīnyuè?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 喜欢 (like) · 什么 (what) · 音乐 (music)

→ What music do you like?

你说什么语言？ Nǐ shuō shénme yǔyán?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 说 (speak) · 什么 (what) · 语言 (language)

→ What language do you speak?

Common Mistakes

Moving 什么 to the front

- Incorrect: 什么你喜欢？ (Shénme nǐ xǐhuan?) - Correct: 你喜欢什么？ (Nǐ xǐhuan shénme?) — What do you like?

Keeping the noun and adding 什么

- Incorrect: 你喜欢茶什么？ (Nǐ xǐhuan chá shénme?) - Correct: 你喜欢什么？ (Nǐ xǐhuan shénme?) — What do you like?

What Can You Say Now?

You can now ask what something is, what someone's name or job is, or what kind of color, movie, music, or language someone likes — 你叫什么名字？ (What is your name?), 你喜欢什么音乐？ (What music do you like?) — just by putting 什么 where the answer would go. Try pointing at random objects and asking 这是什么？ out loud.

Quick Summary

Put 什么 where the answer goes: 你喜欢什么？ = What do you like?