Chapter 1: SOUNDS/ GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS
Grammar Lesson 1B: Question Words
Question Words
| ਕੀ | ਿਕਓਂੁ | ਕੌਣ | ਕਦ | ਿਕੱਥੇ | ਿਕਸ ਤਰੵਾੰ |
| What | Why | Who | When | Where | How |
Placement
In Punjabi, the interrogative is usually placed immediately before the verb.
| Who is that? | When is it? | Where is it? | What is this? |
| ਓੁਹ ਕੌਣ ਹੈ? | ਿੲਹ ਕਦ ਹੈ? | ਓੁਹ ਿਕੱਥੇ ਹੈ? | ਿੲਹ ਕੀ ਹੈ? |
An exception to this is when ਕੀ is used to turn a sentence into a question.
Yes/No hW/nhIN
Example
| ਕੀ ਿੲਹ ਮੇਜ਼ ਹੈ? | ਹਾੰ ਿੲਹ ਮੇਜ਼ ਹੈ? | ਨਹੀੰ ਿੲਹ ਮੇਜ਼ ਨਹੀੰ ਹੈ? |
| Is this a table? | Yes, this is a table. | No, this is not a table. |
Other words
| Where are you? |
| Answer: ਿੲੱਥੇ Here, proximate ਓੁੱਥੇ There, remote |
| Also ਿਕਧਰ, ਿੲਧਰ, ਓੁਧਰ |
| How (Colloquial terms: ਿਕਵੇੰ / ਿਕਦਾ) |
The Interrogative ਕੀ
To turn a sentence into a question either: insert ਕੀ at the beginning of the sentence or use intonation (raise your voice at the end of the sentence, as you do when asking a question).
Example
ਿੲਹ ਕਮਰਾ ਹੈ ।
| Use ਕੀ | Use intonation |
| ਕੀ ਿੲਹ ਕਮਰਾ ਹੈ? | ਿੲਹ ਕਮਰਾ ਹੈ? |