Korean Question Words: Who, What, Where, When & How

How do you ask questions in Korean?

Imagine you’re visiting Seoul and need to ask where the subway station is, how much something costs, or when a store closes.

Knowing a few Korean question words can make everyday conversations much easier.

For example:

화장실이 어디에 있어요?

“Where is the bathroom?”

🔊 Listen: 화장실이 어디에 있어요?

이거 얼마예요?

“How much is this?”

🔊 Listen: 이거 얼마예요?

언제 만날 거예요?

“When are we going to meet?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 만날 거예요?

These are simple questions, but they’re extremely useful in real life.

In this guide, you’ll learn the most important Korean question words, how to combine them with verbs and particles, and how to respond naturally.

You’ll also practice with listening exercises, short dialogues, pronunciation audio, and beginner-friendly quizzes.

Level: Beginner (A1–A2)

Study time: Approximately 30–40 minutes, plus listening practice

What you’ll learn: Who, what, where, when, why, how, how much, how many, common question patterns, natural answers, and real-life conversations.

How to study: Listen to each question, pause before reading the answer, and try responding aloud. The goal is to understand questions quickly, not simply memorize translations.

Table of Contents

1. Korean Question Words: The Essential Chart
2. 누구 vs. 누가: How to Ask “Who” in Korean
3. 뭐 vs. 무엇: Different Ways to Say “What”
4. 어디: How to Ask “Where” in Korean
5. 언제: How to Ask “When” in Korean
6. 왜: How to Ask “Why” in Korean
7. 어떻게: How to Ask “How” in Korean
8. 얼마 vs. 몇: How Much and How Many in Korean
9. 무슨 vs. 어떤 vs. 어느: Asking “What Kind” and “Which”
10. Korean Question Word Order: How to Build Natural Questions
11. Real-Life Korean Question Conversations
12. Korean Question Words Listening Quiz: Choose the Correct Answer
13. Build Your Own Questions: Sentence Practice
14. Common Mistakes with Korean Question Words
15. Seven-Day Korean Question Words Practice Plan
16. Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Question Words
Final Review: Master Korean Question Words

1. Korean Question Words: The Essential Chart

Let’s start with the most useful question words in Korean.

Korean	English	Common use
누구	Who	Asking about a person
누가	Who (subject form)	Asking who does something
뭐 / 무엇	What	Asking about things or actions
어디	Where	Asking about a place
언제	When	Asking about time
왜	Why	Asking about a reason
어떻게	How	Asking about a method or manner
얼마	How much	Asking about price or amount
몇	How many / what number	Asking about count, age, or time
어떤	What kind of / which	Asking about a type or quality
무슨	What / what kind of	Asking about a category or identity
어느	Which	Asking for a choice or identifying one among options

Listen to the Basic Question Words

누구

🔊 Listen: 누구

누가

🔊 Listen: 누가

뭐

🔊 Listen: 뭐

무엇

🔊 Listen: 무엇

어디

🔊 Listen: 어디

언제

🔊 Listen: 언제

왜

🔊 Listen: 왜

어떻게

🔊 Listen: 어떻게

얼마

🔊 Listen: 얼마

몇

🔊 Listen: 몇

어떤

🔊 Listen: 어떤

무슨

🔊 Listen: 무슨

어느

🔊 Listen: 어느

Eight Questions You Should Know First

누구예요?

“Who is it?”

🔊 Listen: 누구예요?

뭐 해요?

“What are you doing?”

🔊 Listen: 뭐 해요?

어디에 가요?

“Where are you going?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에 가요?

언제 와요?

“When are you coming?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 와요?

왜 웃어요?

“Why are you laughing?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 웃어요?

어떻게 가요?

“How do I get there?”

🔊 Listen: 어떻게 가요?

얼마예요?

“How much is it?”

🔊 Listen: 얼마예요?

몇 시예요?

“What time is it?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 시예요?

Don’t worry if you cannot remember all of them immediately. In the following sections, we’ll study each question word in context.

2. 누구 vs. 누가: How to Ask “Who” in Korean

누구 means “who.”

However, its form changes when certain particles are attached.

This is especially important for understanding natural Korean questions.

누구: Asking About Identity

저 사람은 누구예요?

“Who is that person?”

🔊 Listen: 저 사람은 누구예요?

이분은 누구세요?

“Who is this person?” — Respectful

🔊 Listen: 이분은 누구세요?

누구를 만나요?

“Who are you meeting?”

🔊 Listen: 누구를 만나요?

누가: The Subject Form of 누구

When 누구 takes the subject particle 가, the standard form is 누가, not 누구가.

Compare:

누가 왔어요?

“Who came?”

🔊 Listen: 누가 왔어요?

누가 전화했어요?

“Who called?”

🔊 Listen: 누가 전화했어요?

누가 이걸 만들었어요?

“Who made this?”

🔊 Listen: 누가 이걸 만들었어요?

누구를 and 누구한테

You can also attach particles to 누구.

Form	Meaning	Example
누구	Who	누구예요?
누가	Who (subject)	누가 왔어요?
누구를	Whom (object)	누구를 만나요?
누구한테	To whom / from whom, depending on the verb	누구한테 전화했어요?
누구의	Whose	누구의 책이에요?

Listen to the Questions

누구를 만나요?

🔊 Listen: 누구를 만나요?

누구한테 전화했어요?

“Who did you call?”

🔊 Listen: 누구한테 전화했어요?

누구의 책이에요?

“Whose book is it?”

🔊 Listen: 누구의 책이에요?

In conversation, 누구 책이에요? is also common.

🔊 Listen: 누구 책이에요?

Mini Conversation

A: 누가 왔어요?

“Who came?”

🔊 Listen: 누가 왔어요?

B: 제 친구가 왔어요.

“My friend came.”

🔊 Listen: 제 친구가 왔어요.

Common Mistake

Incorrect in standard Korean:

누구가 왔어요?

Correct:

누가 왔어요?

🔊 Listen: 누가 왔어요?

This is a form worth memorizing from the beginning.

3. 뭐 vs. 무엇: Different Ways to Say “What”

Two common Korean words for “what” are 뭐 and 무엇.

They are closely related, but they are not always used in identical ways.

뭐: Common in Everyday Conversation

뭐 해요?

“What are you doing?”

🔊 Listen: 뭐 해요?

뭐 먹어요?

“What are you eating?”

🔊 Listen: 뭐 먹어요?

뭐 좋아해요?

“What do you like?”

🔊 Listen: 뭐 좋아해요?

These are natural everyday questions.

무엇: A Fuller Form

무엇을 공부해요?

“What do you study?”

🔊 Listen: 무엇을 공부해요?

무엇을 원하세요?

“What would you like?”

🔊 Listen: 무엇을 원하세요?

The fuller form 무엇 often appears in careful, formal, or written language, although it is also possible in speech.

무엇을 vs. 뭘

When 무엇 takes the object particle 을, it becomes 무엇을.

A very common conversational contraction is 뭘.

Compare:

무엇을 먹어요?

“What are you eating?”

🔊 Listen: 무엇을 먹어요?

뭘 먹어요?

“What are you eating?”

🔊 Listen: 뭘 먹어요?

Both are grammatical, but 뭘 is especially common in casual everyday conversation.

Useful “What” Questions

Korean	English
뭐예요?	What is it?
뭐 해요?	What are you doing?
뭘 먹어요?	What are you eating?
뭐가 좋아요?	What’s good? / What do you like?
무슨 일이에요?	What’s happening? / What’s the matter?
뭐라고 했어요?	What did you say?

Listen and Repeat

🔊 Listen: 뭐예요?

🔊 Listen: 뭐 해요?

🔊 Listen: 뭘 먹어요?

🔊 Listen: 뭐가 좋아요?

🔊 Listen: 무슨 일이에요?

🔊 Listen: 뭐라고 했어요?

Question and Answer

A: 점심으로 뭐 먹었어요?

“What did you eat for lunch?”

🔊 Listen: 점심으로 뭐 먹었어요?

B: 비빔밥을 먹었어요.

“I ate bibimbap.”

🔊 Listen: 비빔밥을 먹었어요.

Beginner tip: In most informal everyday situations, 뭐 and 뭘 are extremely useful. Learn both the conversational and fuller forms so you can understand different speaking styles.

4. 어디: How to Ask “Where” in Korean

어디 means “where.”

But the particle following 어디 can change the type of location you’re asking about.

This distinction is especially important when traveling around Korea.

어디에: Destination or Location

Use 어디에 in questions about many destinations or locations.

어디에 가요?

“Where are you going?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에 가요?

화장실이 어디에 있어요?

“Where is the bathroom?”

🔊 Listen: 화장실이 어디에 있어요?

어디에 살아요?

“Where do you live?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에 살아요?

어디에서: Location of an Action

Use 어디에서 when asking where an action happens.

어디에서 공부해요?

“Where do you study?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에서 공부해요?

어디에서 일해요?

“Where do you work?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에서 일해요?

어디에서 만날까요?

“Where shall we meet?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에서 만날까요?

어디에 vs. 어디에서

Question	English
어디에 가요?	Where are you going?
어디에 있어요?	Where is it?
어디에서 공부해요?	Where do you study?
어디에서 먹어요?	Where do you eat?
어디에서 만나요?	Where do you meet?

In conversation, the shortened form 어디서 is also common for 어디에서.

어디서 만나요?

“Where are we meeting?”

🔊 Listen: 어디서 만나요?

Travel Conversation

A: 지하철역이 어디에 있어요?

“Where is the subway station?”

🔊 Listen: 지하철역이 어디에 있어요?

B: 저기 오른쪽에 있어요.

“It’s over there on the right.”

🔊 Listen: 저기 오른쪽에 있어요.

Common Mistake

For the ordinary beginner meaning “Where do you study?”, use:

어디에서 공부해요?

🔊 Listen: 어디에서 공부해요?

Not 어디에 공부해요.

The particle 에서 normally marks the location of the studying activity.

5. 언제: How to Ask “When” in Korean

언제 means “when.”

You can use it to ask about schedules, appointments, events, or past activities.

Basic Examples

언제 와요?

“When are you coming?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 와요?

언제 출발해요?

“When are you leaving?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 출발해요?

생일이 언제예요?

“When is your birthday?”

🔊 Listen: 생일이 언제예요?

언제 한국에 왔어요?

“When did you come to Korea?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 한국에 왔어요?

언제 다시 만날 거예요?

“When are we going to meet again?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 다시 만날 거예요?

Common Answers to 언제

Korean	English
오늘	Today
내일	Tomorrow
모레	The day after tomorrow
어제	Yesterday
이번 주	This week
다음 주	Next week
다음 달	Next month
아침에	In the morning
저녁에	In the evening
오후 세 시에	At 3 PM

Listen to Useful Time Answers

🔊 Listen: 오늘

🔊 Listen: 내일

🔊 Listen: 모레

🔊 Listen: 어제

🔊 Listen: 이번 주

🔊 Listen: 다음 주

🔊 Listen: 다음 달

🔊 Listen: 아침에

🔊 Listen: 저녁에

🔊 Listen: 오후 세 시에

Question and Answer

A: 언제 만날까요?

“When shall we meet?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 만날까요?

B: 토요일 오후 두 시에 만나요.

“Let’s meet on Saturday at 2 PM.”

🔊 Listen: 토요일 오후 두 시에 만나요.

언제 vs. 몇 시

언제 asks about time broadly.

몇 시 specifically asks about the hour or clock time.

Compare:

언제 출발해요?

“When are you leaving?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 출발해요?

몇 시에 출발해요?

“What time are you leaving?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 시에 출발해요?

The first question could be answered with a day or a time. The second specifically asks for the time on the clock.

For more practice with Korean weekdays, dates, and times, study:

Day & Time in Korean

6. 왜: How to Ask “Why” in Korean

왜 means “why.”

You can use it to ask about reasons, decisions, emotions, and situations.

Common Questions with 왜

왜 웃어요?

“Why are you laughing?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 웃어요?

왜 늦었어요?

“Why were you late?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 늦었어요?

왜 한국어를 공부해요?

“Why do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 한국어를 공부해요?

왜 안 먹어요?

“Why aren’t you eating?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 안 먹어요?

왜 그렇게 생각해요?

“Why do you think so?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 그렇게 생각해요?

Answering with -아서/어서

A common way to explain a reason is using -아서/어서.

Example:

A: 왜 늦었어요?

“Why were you late?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 늦었어요?

B: 버스가 늦게 와서 늦었어요.

“I was late because the bus arrived late.”

🔊 Listen: 버스가 늦게 와서 늦었어요.

Another example:

A: 왜 한국어를 공부해요?

“Why do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 한국어를 공부해요?

B: 한국 문화가 좋아서 공부해요.

“I study because I like Korean culture.”

🔊 Listen: 한국 문화가 좋아서 공부해요.

Answering with -기 때문에

Another pattern for explaining reasons is -기 때문에.

한국에서 일하고 싶기 때문에 한국어를 공부해요.

“I study Korean because I want to work in Korea.”

🔊 Listen: 한국에서 일하고 싶기 때문에 한국어를 공부해요.

This structure is useful but somewhat longer and often more explanatory than everyday -아서/어서 expressions.

Why Questions Can Sound Direct

Depending on intonation and context, asking 왜 can sound curious, concerned, or confrontational.

For example:

왜요?

“Why?” / “How come?”

🔊 Listen: 왜요?

This is not inherently rude, but your tone and relationship with the listener matter.

When asking about a sensitive decision, adding context or a softer expression can be helpful.

7. 어떻게: How to Ask “How” in Korean

어떻게 means “how.”

It’s useful for asking about a method, a process, or the way something happens.

Essential 어떻게 Questions

어떻게 가요?

“How do I get there?” / “How do you go?”

🔊 Listen: 어떻게 가요?

이거 어떻게 사용해요?

“How do you use this?”

🔊 Listen: 이거 어떻게 사용해요?

한국어를 어떻게 공부해요?

“How do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 한국어를 어떻게 공부해요?

이거 어떻게 만들어요?

“How do you make this?”

🔊 Listen: 이거 어떻게 만들어요?

어떻게 알았어요?

“How did you know?”

🔊 Listen: 어떻게 알았어요?

Practical Conversation: Finding Transportation

A: 서울역에 어떻게 가요?

“How do I get to Seoul Station?”

🔊 Listen: 서울역에 어떻게 가요?

B: 지하철을 타세요.

“Take the subway.”

🔊 Listen: 지하철을 타세요.

Practical Conversation: Learning Korean

A: 한국어를 어떻게 공부해요?

“How do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 한국어를 어떻게 공부해요?

B: 매일 한국어 영상을 보고 따라 해요.

“I watch Korean videos every day and repeat after them.”

🔊 Listen: 매일 한국어 영상을 보고 따라 해요.

어떻게 vs. 어때요

These expressions look similar but have different uses.

어떻게 asks about how something is done or how something happened.

어때요 asks what something is like, or how someone feels about it.

Compare:

한국어를 어떻게 공부해요?

“How do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 한국어를 어떻게 공부해요?

한국어 공부는 어때요?

“How is studying Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 한국어 공부는 어때요?

A natural answer to the second question might be:

재미있지만 어려워요.

“It’s interesting but difficult.”

🔊 Listen: 재미있지만 어려워요.

Common Spelling Mistake

Incorrect:

어떡게 해요?

Correct:

어떻게 해요?

🔊 Listen: 어떻게 해요?

Another expression, 어떡해요?, is also correct, but it comes from 어떡하다 and often means “What should I do?” depending on context.

어떻게 해요? and 어떡해요? can overlap in meaning, but they are not spelled the same way.

8. 얼마 vs. 몇: How Much and How Many in Korean

Two extremely useful Korean question words are 얼마 and 몇.

They are both related to quantity, but they are used differently.

얼마: Price or Amount

얼마예요?

“How much is it?”

🔊 Listen: 얼마예요?

이거 얼마예요?

“How much is this?”

🔊 Listen: 이거 얼마예요?

월급이 얼마예요?

“How much is your monthly salary?”

🔊 Listen: 월급이 얼마예요?

The last question is grammatically correct but may be too personal in an ordinary conversation. Use discretion.

얼마 can also ask about the amount of something, especially with appropriate units or contexts.

몇: Count or Number

몇 개예요?

“How many are there?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 개예요?

몇 살이에요?

“How old are you?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 살이에요?

몇 시예요?

“What time is it?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 시예요?

몇 명이에요?

“How many people?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 명이에요?

Comparison Chart

Korean	English	Used for
얼마예요?	How much is it?	Price
몇 개예요?	How many items?	Items
몇 명이에요?	How many people?	People
몇 시예요?	What time is it?	Clock time
몇 살이에요?	How old are you?	Age
얼마 동안 있었어요?	How long were you there?	Duration

Shopping Conversation

A: 이 사과 얼마예요?

“How much is this apple?”

🔊 Listen: 이 사과 얼마예요?

B: 천 원이에요.

“It’s 1,000 won.”

🔊 Listen: 천 원이에요.

A: 그럼 세 개 주세요.

“Then please give me three.”

🔊 Listen: 그럼 세 개 주세요.

Asking About People

A: 몇 명이에요?

“How many people?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 명이에요?

B: 네 명이에요.

“Four people.”

🔊 Listen: 네 명이에요.

Helpful Note on Numbers

Korean uses different number systems in different contexts.

Native Korean numbers are commonly used with counters such as 개, 명, and 시.

Sino-Korean numbers are commonly used for prices, dates, and minutes.

To practice both number systems, review:

Learn Korean Numbers 1–100 and Essential Words

9. 무슨 vs. 어떤 vs. 어느: Asking “What Kind” and “Which”

English uses words such as “what,” “which,” and “what kind of.”

Korean has several expressions that help make these distinctions.

무슨: What / What Kind of

무슨 음식 좋아해요?

“What food do you like?”

🔊 Listen: 무슨 음식 좋아해요?

무슨 영화 봤어요?

“What movie did you watch?”

🔊 Listen: 무슨 영화 봤어요?

무슨 일이에요?

“What’s going on?” / “What’s the matter?”

🔊 Listen: 무슨 일이에요?

어떤: What Kind of / Which Sort of

어떤 음악을 좋아해요?

“What kind of music do you like?”

🔊 Listen: 어떤 음악을 좋아해요?

어떤 사람이에요?

“What kind of person are they?”

🔊 Listen: 어떤 사람이에요?

어떤 스타일을 원해요?

“What kind of style do you want?”

🔊 Listen: 어떤 스타일을 원해요?

어떤 often emphasizes the characteristics or type of something.

어느: Which One / Which

어느 나라에서 왔어요?

“Which country are you from?”

🔊 Listen: 어느 나라에서 왔어요?

어느 학교에 다녀요?

“Which school do you attend?”

🔊 Listen: 어느 학교에 다녀요?

어느 쪽으로 가요?

“Which direction are you going?”

🔊 Listen: 어느 쪽으로 가요?

Compare the Three

Question	Typical focus
무슨 책을 읽어요?	What book are you reading?
어떤 책을 좋아해요?	What kind of book do you like?
어느 책을 살 거예요?	Which book will you buy?

The meanings overlap in some contexts. These differences are useful tendencies rather than absolute one-word translation rules.

Listen to the Comparison

무슨 책을 읽어요?

🔊 Listen: 무슨 책을 읽어요?

어떤 책을 좋아해요?

🔊 Listen: 어떤 책을 좋아해요?

어느 책을 살 거예요?

🔊 Listen: 어느 책을 살 거예요?

10. Korean Question Word Order: How to Build Natural Questions

In English, question words often appear at the beginning of the sentence.

Korean word order works differently.

A Korean question word commonly stays in the position where the requested information belongs.

For example:

저는 학교에서 공부해요.

“I study at school.”

🔊 Listen: 저는 학교에서 공부해요.

Replace the location with a question expression:

저는 어디에서 공부해요?

“Where do I study?”

🔊 Listen: 저는 어디에서 공부해요?

In a real conversation, you would more commonly ask another person:

어디에서 공부해요?

“Where do you study?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에서 공부해요?

Sentence-Building Examples

Statement	Question
민수가 왔어요.	누가 왔어요?
저는 사과를 먹어요.	뭐 먹어요?
학교에 가요.	어디에 가요?
내일 만나요.	언제 만나요?
지하철을 타고 가요.	어떻게 가요?

Listen to the Questions

🔊 Listen: 누가 왔어요?

🔊 Listen: 뭐 먹어요?

🔊 Listen: 어디에 가요?

🔊 Listen: 언제 만나요?

🔊 Listen: 어떻게 가요?

Do Korean Questions Need a Special Auxiliary Verb?

No. Korean does not generally require an English-style auxiliary “do” to form questions.

In everyday polite speech, a statement and a question may use the same predicate ending.

Compare:

한국어를 공부해요.

“I study Korean.”

🔊 Listen: 한국어를 공부해요.

한국어를 공부해요?

“Do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 한국어를 공부해요?

The difference is communicated through intonation and context in speech, and a question mark in writing.

Can the Subject Be Omitted?

Yes.

Korean frequently omits understood subjects or topics.

Instead of:

당신은 어디에 가요?

“You, where are you going?”

A more natural everyday question is often:

어디에 가요?

“Where are you going?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에 가요?

Avoid automatically translating every English “you” as 당신. In Korean, titles, names, or subject omission are often more natural.

11. Real-Life Korean Question Conversations

Now let’s practice the question words in complete conversations.

Conversation 1: Meeting Someone

A: 이름이 뭐예요?

“What’s your name?”

🔊 Listen: 이름이 뭐예요?

B: 저는 엠마예요.

“I’m Emma.”

🔊 Listen: 저는 엠마예요.

A: 어느 나라에서 왔어요?

“Which country are you from?”

🔊 Listen: 어느 나라에서 왔어요?

B: 캐나다에서 왔어요.

“I’m from Canada.”

🔊 Listen: 캐나다에서 왔어요.

Conversation 2: At a Café

A: 뭐 마실 거예요?

“What are you going to drink?”

🔊 Listen: 뭐 마실 거예요?

B: 아이스 아메리카노를 마실 거예요.

“I’m going to have an iced Americano.”

🔊 Listen: 아이스 아메리카노를 마실 거예요.

A: 몇 잔 주문할 거예요?

“How many cups are you going to order?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 잔 주문할 거예요?

B: 두 잔 주문할 거예요.

“I’m going to order two cups.”

🔊 Listen: 두 잔 주문할 거예요.

Conversation 3: Asking for Directions

A: 서울역에 어떻게 가요?

“How do I get to Seoul Station?”

🔊 Listen: 서울역에 어떻게 가요?

B: 지하철을 타세요.

“Take the subway.”

🔊 Listen: 지하철을 타세요.

A: 여기에서 얼마나 걸려요?

“How long does it take from here?”

🔊 Listen: 여기에서 얼마나 걸려요?

B: 약 십오 분 걸려요.

“It takes about fifteen minutes.”

🔊 Listen: 약 십오 분 걸려요.

Conversation 4: Making Weekend Plans

A: 주말에 뭐 할 거예요?

“What are you going to do this weekend?”

🔊 Listen: 주말에 뭐 할 거예요?

B: 친구를 만날 거예요.

“I’m going to meet a friend.”

🔊 Listen: 친구를 만날 거예요.

A: 어디에서 만날 거예요?

“Where are you going to meet?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에서 만날 거예요?

B: 홍대에서 만날 거예요.

“We’re going to meet in Hongdae.”

🔊 Listen: 홍대에서 만날 거예요.

Conversation 5: Talking About Korean

A: 왜 한국어를 공부해요?

“Why do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 한국어를 공부해요?

B: 한국 드라마를 좋아해서 공부해요.

“I study because I like Korean dramas.”

🔊 Listen: 한국 드라마를 좋아해서 공부해요.

A: 어떻게 공부해요?

“How do you study?”

🔊 Listen: 어떻게 공부해요?

B: 매일 한국어 영상을 보고 따라 해요.

“I watch Korean videos every day and repeat after them.”

🔊 Listen: 매일 한국어 영상을 보고 따라 해요.

Conversation 6: Shopping

A: 이거 얼마예요?

“How much is this?”

🔊 Listen: 이거 얼마예요?

B: 오천 원이에요.

“It’s 5,000 won.”

🔊 Listen: 오천 원이에요.

A: 다른 색깔도 있어요?

“Do you have other colors?”

🔊 Listen: 다른 색깔도 있어요?

B: 네, 어떤 색깔을 원하세요?

“Yes, what color would you like?”

🔊 Listen: 네, 어떤 색깔을 원하세요?

Conversation 7: Asking About a Person

A: 저 사람은 누구예요?

“Who is that person?”

🔊 Listen: 저 사람은 누구예요?

B: 제 친구예요.

“That’s my friend.”

🔊 Listen: 제 친구예요.

A: 무슨 일을 해요?

“What do they do for work?”

🔊 Listen: 무슨 일을 해요?

B: 회사에서 일해요.

“They work at a company.”

🔊 Listen: 회사에서 일해요.

12. Korean Question Words Listening Quiz: Choose the Correct Answer

Now let’s test your listening comprehension.

Each question has three possible answers.

First, play the Korean question. Then choose the response that fits naturally.

Question 1: Who?

🔊 Listen: 누가 왔어요?

A. 어제 왔어요.

B. 민수가 왔어요.

C. 학교에 왔어요.

Question 2: What?

🔊 Listen: 뭐 먹었어요?

A. 비빔밥을 먹었어요.

B. 친구랑 먹었어요.

C. 저녁에 먹었어요.

Question 3: Where?

🔊 Listen: 어디에서 공부해요?

A. 매일 공부해요.

B. 한국어를 공부해요.

C. 도서관에서 공부해요.

Question 4: When?

🔊 Listen: 언제 출발해요?

A. 기차를 타고 가요.

B. 내일 아침에 출발해요.

C. 서울에서 출발해요.

Question 5: Why?

🔊 Listen: 왜 늦었어요?

A. 버스가 늦게 왔어요.

B. 학교에 갔어요.

C. 친구를 만났어요.

Question 6: How?

🔊 Listen: 학교에 어떻게 가요?

A. 오전 여덟 시에 가요.

B. 학교에 가요.

C. 버스를 타고 가요.

Question 7: How Much?

🔊 Listen: 이거 얼마예요?

A. 세 개예요.

B. 만 원이에요.

C. 빨간색이에요.

Question 8: How Many?

🔊 Listen: 몇 명이에요?

A. 네 명이에요.

B. 오후 네 시예요.

C. 만 원이에요.

Question 9: Which Kind?

🔊 Listen: 어떤 음악을 좋아해요?

A. 매일 들어요.

B. 집에서 들어요.

C. 케이팝을 좋아해요.

Question 10: Which Country?

🔊 Listen: 어느 나라에서 왔어요?

A. 작년에 왔어요.

B. 캐나다에서 왔어요.

C. 비행기를 타고 왔어요.

Answer Key and Explanations

1. B — 민수가 왔어요.

The question asks who came. This answer identifies the person.

2. A — 비빔밥을 먹었어요.

The question asks what was eaten. The other answers provide companions or time, which may be relevant but don’t directly answer what.

3. C — 도서관에서 공부해요.

The question asks for the location of the studying activity.

4. B — 내일 아침에 출발해요.

The question asks when the departure happens.

5. A — 버스가 늦게 왔어요.

The answer provides the reason for being late.

6. C — 버스를 타고 가요.

The question asks how the speaker travels to school.

7. B — 만 원이에요.

The answer gives the price.

8. A — 네 명이에요.

The question asks for a number of people.

9. C — 케이팝을 좋아해요.

The answer names a type of music.

10. B — 캐나다에서 왔어요.

The answer identifies the country of origin.

Important: Real conversations allow more than one kind of relevant response. These answers are the most direct responses to the information requested in each question.

Listening Score

Score	Suggested next step
0–3	Review the basic question-word chart
4–6	Practice the question types you missed
7–8	Replay the questions without reading them
9–10	Try the sentence-building exercises

14. Common Mistakes with Korean Question Words

Let’s review the errors that often make beginner questions sound unnatural.

Mistake 1: Using 누구가 Instead of 누가

Incorrect:

누구가 왔어요?

Correct:

누가 왔어요?

🔊 Listen: 누가 왔어요?

누가 is the standard subject form of 누구.

Mistake 2: Confusing 어디에 and 어디에서

For the intended meaning “Where do you study?”, use:

어디에서 공부해요?

🔊 Listen: 어디에서 공부해요?

For “Where are you going?”, use:

어디에 가요?

🔊 Listen: 어디에 가요?

Mistake 3: Confusing 언제 and 몇 시

언제 만나요?

“When are we meeting?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 만나요?

몇 시에 만나요?

“What time are we meeting?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 시에 만나요?

언제 asks about timing broadly, while 몇 시 specifically asks for the hour.

Mistake 4: Confusing 얼마 and 몇

얼마예요?

“How much is it?”

🔊 Listen: 얼마예요?

몇 개예요?

“How many items?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 개예요?

Do not use 얼마 as a direct replacement for every English “how many” question.

Mistake 5: Confusing 어떻게 and 어때요

어떻게 공부해요?

“How do you study?”

🔊 Listen: 어떻게 공부해요?

공부는 어때요?

“How is studying?”

🔊 Listen: 공부는 어때요?

The first asks about a method. The second asks for an evaluation or experience.

Mistake 6: Always Putting Question Words at the Beginning

English question structure should not be translated word for word into Korean.

For example:

오늘 뭐 먹어요?

“What are you eating today?”

🔊 Listen: 오늘 뭐 먹어요?

This is a natural Korean question even though the question word doesn’t appear first.

Mistake 7: Overusing 당신

English questions frequently include “you.”

But Korean often leaves out an understood subject.

Instead of mechanically translating “Where do you live?” with 당신, simply say:

어디에 살아요?

“Where do you live?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에 살아요?

Mistake 8: Memorizing Questions Without Answers

If you can ask “Where?” but cannot understand the answer, the conversation will be difficult.

Always practice question-answer pairs.

For example:

어디에 살아요?

“Where do you live?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에 살아요?

서울에 살아요.

“I live in Seoul.”

🔊 Listen: 서울에 살아요.

15. Seven-Day Korean Question Words Practice Plan

Use this plan to remember the expressions and apply them naturally.

Day	Focus	Practice goal
Day 1	누구 / 누가	Ask about people
Day 2	뭐 / 무엇	Ask about actions and objects
Day 3	어디 / 언제	Ask about places and schedules
Day 4	왜 / 어떻게	Ask about reasons and methods
Day 5	얼마 / 몇	Ask about prices and quantities
Day 6	어떤 / 무슨 / 어느	Ask about kinds and choices
Day 7	Full review	Complete Q&A and listening challenges

Daily Practice Method

Spend 15–20 minutes each day.

First five minutes: Read and listen to the question words.

Next five minutes: Practice five complete questions.

Next five minutes: Answer those questions aloud.

Final five minutes: Create questions using your own vocabulary.

Ask Questions About Your Own Life

Examples:

오늘 뭐 해요?

“What are you doing today?”

🔊 Listen: 오늘 뭐 해요?

주말에 어디에 가요?

“Where are you going this weekend?”

🔊 Listen: 주말에 어디에 가요?

왜 한국어를 공부해요?

“Why do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 한국어를 공부해요?

한국어를 어떻게 공부해요?

“How do you study Korean?”

🔊 Listen: 한국어를 어떻게 공부해요?

Try answering all four without looking at the example answers.

16. Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Question Words

What are the basic Korean question words?

The most useful beginner question words include 누구 (who), 뭐/무엇 (what), 어디 (where), 언제 (when), 왜 (why), 어떻게 (how), 얼마 (how much), and 몇 (how many/what number).

What is the difference between 누구 and 누가?

누구 means “who.” 누가 is the standard subject form used in questions such as 누가 왔어요? (“Who came?”).

Is 뭐 or 무엇 more natural?

뭐 is extremely common in everyday conversation. 무엇 is a fuller form used in more formal, careful, or written contexts, although both have useful spoken applications.

What’s the difference between 어디에 and 어디에서?

어디에 commonly asks about destinations or locations of existence.

어디에서 commonly asks where an activity happens.

What’s the difference between 언제 and 몇 시?

언제 asks when something happens generally. 몇 시 asks specifically for the clock hour.

How do you ask “Why?” in Korean?

Use 왜.

For example:

왜 늦었어요?

“Why were you late?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 늦었어요?

How do you ask “How?” in Korean?

Use 어떻게 for methods or processes.

For example:

이거 어떻게 해요?

“How do I do this?”

🔊 Listen: 이거 어떻게 해요?

How do you ask the price in Korean?

A very common expression is:

이거 얼마예요?

“How much is this?”

🔊 Listen: 이거 얼마예요?

How do you ask “How many people?” in Korean?

Say:

몇 명이에요?

“How many people?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 명이에요?

Do Korean questions require special word order?

Not usually in the same way as English. Question words commonly appear where the missing information would be, and the main predicate generally stays at the end.

Do I need to say 당신 when asking someone a question?

Usually not. Korean often omits the subject when the listener is clear from context.

Final Review: Master Korean Question Words

You’ve now learned the most important Korean question words and how to use them in realistic conversations.

Let’s review the key expressions.

English	Korean
Who?	누구? / 누가?
What?	뭐? / 무엇?
Where?	어디?
When?	언제?
Why?	왜?
How?	어떻게?
How much?	얼마?
How many?	몇?
What kind?	어떤? / 무슨?
Which?	어느?

Final Listening Review: Ten Essential Questions

누가 왔어요?

“Who came?”

🔊 Listen: 누가 왔어요?

뭐 먹었어요?

“What did you eat?”

🔊 Listen: 뭐 먹었어요?

어디에 가요?

“Where are you going?”

🔊 Listen: 어디에 가요?

언제 만날 거예요?

“When are we going to meet?”

🔊 Listen: 언제 만날 거예요?

왜 늦었어요?

“Why were you late?”

🔊 Listen: 왜 늦었어요?

어떻게 가요?

“How do you get there?”

🔊 Listen: 어떻게 가요?

이거 얼마예요?

“How much is this?”

🔊 Listen: 이거 얼마예요?

몇 명이에요?

“How many people?”

🔊 Listen: 몇 명이에요?

어떤 음악을 좋아해요?

“What kind of music do you like?”

🔊 Listen: 어떤 음악을 좋아해요?

어느 나라에서 왔어요?

“Which country are you from?”

🔊 Listen: 어느 나라에서 왔어요?

Your Final Speaking Challenge

Imagine meeting a new Korean-speaking friend.

Write a conversation containing at least eight different questions.

Include questions about:

Their name
Their country
Their favorite food
Where they live
When they are free
Why they are learning a language
How they study
What they plan to do this weekend

Try answering all eight questions as well.

Read both parts of the conversation aloud, then practice without looking at the translations.

Learning Korean question words allows you to do something especially important: stop relying on memorized statements and start having real two-way conversations.

Keep practicing the listening exercises, and use these questions whenever you have the opportunity to speak Korean.