The Interrogative Pronoun

### Overview

Ready to turn your statements into questions? In Hindi, almost every question word starts with the letter k. Convenient, right? We call these the "K-words." They are your keys to unlocking information, making plans, and figuring out what on earth is happening in a Bollywood movie.

### How This Grammar Works

Hindi question words function like placeholders. You usually put the question word exactly where the answer would go in the sentence. It’s not like English where you have to drag the "Wh-" word all the way to the front. You just drop the "K-word" in the slot, and boom—you have a question.

### Formation Pattern

Here is the cheat sheet for the main players:

1. 1Kya (What)
2. 2Kaun (Who)
3. 3Kahan (Where)
4. 4Kab (When)
5. 5Kyun (Why)
6. 6Kaise (How)
7. 7Kitna (How much/many)

### When To Use It

Use these whenever you need specific details.

• Need a name? Use kaun.
• Need a location? Use kahan.
• Need a reason? Use kyun.

Example:

• Statement: Ram *ghar* ja raha hai. (Ram is going *home*.)
• Question: Ram *kahan* ja raha hai? (Where is Ram going?)

See? We just swapped ghar (home) with kahan (where).

### When Not To Use It

Don't confuse the specific "What" (kya inside a sentence) with the Yes/No marker (kya at the start).

• If you ask Kya aap chai piyenge?, you are asking "Will you drink tea?" (Yes/No).
• If you ask Aap kya piyenge?, you are asking "*What* will you drink?" (Coffee? Juice? Lassi?).

### Common Mistakes

1. 1Wrong Word Order: Putting the question word at the start like in English. Kahan aap ja rahe hain? sounds poetic but weird in daily chat. Stick to Aap kahan ja rahe hain?.
2. 2Ignoring Gender: Kitna (how much) changes shape! It becomes kitna (m.sg), kitne (m.pl), or kitni (f). Using kitna for everything is a dead giveaway you're a beginner.
3. 3The Case of the Missing Agent: When kaun (who) is the subject in the past tense, it changes to kisne. Don't say Kaun yeh kiya?; say Kisne yeh kiya?.

### Contrast With Similar Patterns

• English vs. Hindi: English moves the auxiliary verb ("Where are you going?"). Hindi keeps the verb at the end (Aap kahan ja rahe hain?).
• Intonation: In informal speech, you can sometimes just raise your voice at the end of a statement without a question word, but for real information, you need the K-word.

### Quick FAQ

Q: Can I use kya for people?

No! Kya is for things or actions. Use kaun for people. Unless you are insulting someone, then... actually, still don't do it.

Q: How do I ask "Who all are coming?"

Double it! Kaun-kaun aa rahe hain? Hindi loves doubling words for plurals.