什么 (shénme) - What

In English, we love to move the word "what" to the start of a sentence. We say, "What do you want?" Notice how "what" jumped to the front? Chinese is much more relaxed. It keeps the word order of a normal statement. You just replace the thing you are asking about with 什么. If you want to say "You want what?", you just say it exactly in that order. The grammar stays flat and predictable. It is like a placeholder in a form. You just fill in the blank with the question word. This means if you can say a basic sentence, you can ask a question. No complex auxiliary verbs like "do" or "does" are needed here. It is straight to the point and very efficient.

1. 1Building a sentence with 什么 is as easy as 1-2-3. Follow these steps to sound like a pro:
2. 2Start with your Subject (the person or thing doing the action).
3. 3Add your Verb (the action itself).
4. 4Place 什么 at the end as the Object.
5. 5Example: 你 (Subject) + 吃 (Verb) + 什么 (Object) = 你吃什么? (What are you eating?).
6. 6You can also use it with a noun to be more specific:
7. 7Subject + Verb + 什么 + Noun.
8. 8Example: 你 + 看 + 什么 + 书 = 你看什么书? (What book are you reading?).
9. 9Think of it like a puzzle piece. It fits perfectly into the spot where the answer belongs. If the answer is "I eat bread," the question is "You eat what?"

Use 什么 whenever you are curious about an object, an action, or a name. It is perfect for real-world scenarios. Imagine you are at a bubble tea shop. You point at a menu and ask 这是什么? (What is this?). Or you meet a new friend and ask 你叫什么名字? (What is your name?). It is also great for clarifying things. If someone says something you don't understand, a simple 什么? with a rising tone works just like "What?" or "Pardon?" in English. You can also use it to ask about hobbies, like 你喜欢什么? (What do you like?). It is versatile and works in almost any casual or formal setting. Even in a job interview, you might hear 你学习什么? (What do you study?). It is truly everywhere.

Don't use 什么 for every single question. It is not a universal question marker like 吗 (ma). If you want to ask a Yes/No question, 什么 is the wrong tool. For example, "Do you like coffee?" uses 吗, not 什么. Also, don't use it when you are choosing between specific items. If you have two apples and ask "Which one?", you should use 哪 (nǎ) instead. Using 什么 there would sound like you are asking "What is an apple?", which might get you some funny looks! It is also not used for "why" or "how." Those have their own special words. Keep 什么 strictly for "what" and you will be fine. Think of it like a grammar traffic light; only go when you mean "what."

The biggest trap for English speakers is the "Front-Loading Habit." You might want to say 什么你吃? because that feels like "What do you eat?" Stop right there! That is a classic mistake. In Chinese, the question word never jumps to the front unless it is the subject. Always keep it after the verb. Another mistake is using 什么 and 吗 in the same sentence. You don't need both. 什么 already makes the sentence a question. Adding 吗 at the end is like wearing two hats at once—it's just too much. Also, watch your tone. If you say it too aggressively, it can sound like you are annoyed. Keep it light and friendly.

Learners often confuse 什么 with 哪 (nǎ). Here is the trick: 什么 is for open-ended questions. You have no idea what the answer is. 哪 is for choosing from a limited set. If I ask 你喜欢什么水果?, I am asking about all fruit in the world. If I hold an apple and a banana and ask 你要哪一个?, I am asking you to pick one. It is also different from 谁 (shéi), which is only for people. You wouldn't ask 你是什么? to a person unless you are asking what their job is or what their zodiac sign is. To ask "Who are you?", always use 谁.