Question Words
Russian Vocabulary

Quenstion Words in Russian

In Russian, there are a number of words used to form questions. You should remember that when you ask a yes/no question it is formed the same was as a statement. (There is no equivalent of words "do", "are"). When you are speaking Russian you should use a rising questioning tone.

Что?   -   What? (Pronounced "shto")
Как?   -   How?
Сколько?   -   How many?
Кто?   -   Who?
Почему?   -   Why?
Когда?   -   When?
Где?   -   Where? (Used when you are searching for something. "Where is the bank?")
Куда?   -   (to) Where? (indicates motion towards something. "Where are you going?")
Откуда?   -   (from) Where? (indicates motion away from something. "Where are you coming from?")
Какой? (m), Какая? (f), Какое? (n)   -   Which? What sort of?
Чей? (m), Чья? (f), Чьё? (n), Чьи? (pl)   -   Whose?

Notes:
Where gender is shown, the word should agree with the noun it relates to.
The word Какой declines like a stressed adjective, so it must also agree in case.
The words Что? and Кто? have different forms in different cases. Above is nominative. (others shown below)

Advanced Topics:

Different cases of Что? and Кто?

Nominative Case (subject):
    Что?   -   What? (Pronounced "shto")
    Кто?   -   Who?

Accusative Case (object):
    Что?   -   What?
    Кого?   -   Whom?

Dative Case (indirect object):
    Чему?   -   To What?
    Кому?   -   To Whom?

Genative Case (Possession, negation):
    Чего?   -   What? (Pronounced "chevo")
    Кого?   -   Whom? (Pronounced "kavo")

Insrumental Case (by/with)
    Чем?   -   What?
    Кем?   -   Whom?

Prepositional Case (in/at/about)
    Чём   -   (in/about) What?.
    Ком?   -   (in/about) Whom?