Open Questions
In the previous lesson, we learned to ask yes/no questions by moving the verb to the front of the sentence. To ask for specific information, start your sentence with a question word.
The word order is generally: Question word + Verb + Subject.
Wie (Who)
To ask about people, use wie.
| Who is the man there? | Wie is de man daar? |
| Who is going by train? | Wie gaat met de trein? |
Wat (What)
To ask about things, situations, or activities, use wat.
| What is the student doing now? | Wat doet de student nu? |
| What is the problem? | Wat is het probleem? |
These questions are perfect for discussing plans and holidays (de vakantie).
| What do you do on holiday? | Wat doen jullie op vakantie? |
| We are going on holiday. | We gaan op vakantie. |
Waar (Where)
Use waar to ask about locations.
| Where is the hotel? | Waar is het hotel? |
| Where is the bag? | Waar is de tas? |
If you are looking for something, use the verb zoeken (to look for). Notice in the last example how the verb still drops the -t when jij/je comes after it!
| I am looking for the hotel. | Ik zoek het hotel. |
| What are you looking for in the bag? | Wat zoek je in de tas? |
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