Asking Questions
In Italian, you do not need helper words like "do" or "does" to ask a question. To ask for specific information, simply place an interrogative (question word) at the beginning of the sentence, followed directly by the verb.
| Question Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Chi | Who |
| Che cosa | What |
| Dove | Where |
Chi (Who)
Use chi to ask about people. It can act as the subject (the person doing the action) or the object (the person receiving the action).
| Who is this lady? | Chi è questa signora? |
| Who is looking for my dog? | Chi cerca il mio cane? |
| Who are you meeting downtown today? | Chi incontri oggi in centro? |
Che cosa (What)
To ask "what," Italians often use che cosa (literally "what thing"). You will also hear people shorten this to just cosa or che in everyday speech, but che cosa is standard and works everywhere.
| What do you study with the teacher? | Che cosa studi con l'insegnante? |
| What are they watching on television? | Che cosa guardano in televisione? |
| What do you find in this book? | Che cosa trovi in questo libro? |
Dove (Where)
Use dove to ask about places, locations, or destinations. Just like the others, place it at the beginning of your sentence.
| Where do you live now? | Dove abiti ora? |
| Where does your family live? | Dove abita la tua famiglia? |
| Doctor, where do you work? | Dottore, dove lavora? |
| Where are you meeting Marco? | Dove incontri Marco? |
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