Home › Korean Question Words Guide
Korean Question Words Guide
Asking questions is one of the most useful early skills in Korean — it's how you get directions, prices, and conversations going. The good news: Korean question words are a small, learnable set, and questions keep the same word order as statements. This guide introduces the core question words and how to use them plainly, without pretending it's effortless. How fast they stick varies by learner.
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links to italki. If you book a tutor through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we believe are genuinely useful.
Methods & tips that actually help
Keep statement word order
Realistic effect: Unlike English, Korean doesn't reshuffle the sentence to ask a question. You keep the normal word order, drop in a question word, and add a question ending like -요? or rising intonation.
Best for: Beginners surprised that questions look like statements.
Learn 누구 (who) and its subject form 누가
Realistic effect: 누구 (nugu) means "who." When it's the subject of the sentence, it contracts to 누가 (nuga). This small shift trips up beginners, so learn both forms together.
Best for: Learners asking about people.
Use 뭐 or 무엇 for "what"
Realistic effect: Both 뭐 (mwo) and 무엇 (mueot) mean "what." 뭐 is the casual, everyday version you'll hear constantly, while 무엇 sounds more formal and written. Start with 뭐 for conversation.
Best for: Learners asking about things.
Learn 어디 (where) and 언제 (when)
Realistic effect: 어디 (eodi) asks about places — "where is…" — and 언제 (eonje) asks about time or dates. These two cover a huge share of travel and everyday questions.
Best for: Travelers and learners asking for directions or times.
Use 왜 (why) and 어떻게 (how)
Realistic effect: 왜 (wae) asks for reasons, and 어떻게 (eotteoke) asks about method or manner — "how do I…". Together they let you ask for explanations and instructions.
Best for: Learners who want to ask for reasons and how-to.
Add 얼마 for prices
Realistic effect: 얼마 (eolma) means "how much" and is essential for shopping and ordering. "How much is it?" is one of the highest-value questions a traveler can learn.
Best for: Travelers and anyone shopping or ordering.
Practice swapping one word
Realistic effect: Build a single polite question frame and swap the question word in and out. Reusing one structure with different question words is an efficient way to drill them.
Best for: Learners who want a repeatable pattern.
Expect gradual recall
Realistic effect: Recognizing a question word when you hear it comes before producing it smoothly yourself. Both improve with repetition over weeks, not in one session. Progress varies.
Best for: Anyone setting realistic expectations.
Asking and answering questions naturally clicks fastest in real back-and-forth conversation — a tutor can drill questions with you and answer in real time. You can find Korean tutors on italki.
Find a Korean tutor on italki
Booking through this link supports this site at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main Korean question words?
The core set is 누구 (who), 뭐/무엇 (what), 어디 (where), 언제 (when), 왜 (why), and 어떻게 (how), plus 얼마 (how much) for prices.
Does Korean change word order to ask questions?
No. Korean keeps the same word order as a statement; you simply add a question word and a question ending like -요? or -ㅂ니까?, or use rising intonation.
What's the difference between 뭐 and 무엇?
Both mean "what." 뭐 (mwo) is the casual, everyday version used constantly in conversation, while 무엇 (mueot) sounds more formal and is common in writing.
Why does 누구 sometimes become 누가?
누구 means "who," and when it's the subject of the sentence it contracts to 누가 (nuga). It's a small but common shift, so beginners learn both forms together.
How do I ask "how much" in Korean?
Use 얼마 (eolma), which means "how much." It's one of the most useful question words for shopping, ordering food, and travel.