A1 Sentence Structure 17 min read Easy

The 5 Ws: Who, What, Where, When, Why

Korean question words replace the noun they ask about and don't require changing the sentence structure like English.
Mark as Learned
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The '5 Ws' (누구, 무엇, 어디, 언제, 왜) are the building blocks of every question in Korean.

  • Place the question word where the answer would go: '누구(Who)가 왔어요?'
  • Question words do not move to the front of the sentence like in English.
  • Always end with a question particle or rising intonation: '어디(Where) 가요?'
Subject + (Question Word) + Verb/Adjective + ?

Overview

Understanding how to inquire about missing information is fundamental to communication in any language. In Korean, this involves mastering five key interrogative words, often referred to as the “5 Ws”: 누구 (nugu, who), 뭐 (mwo, what), 어디 (eodi, where), 언제 (eonje, when), and 왜 (wae, why). While English places these question words prominently at the beginning of a sentence, Korean integrates them differently, reflecting its Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) sentence structure.

At the A1 beginner level, your goal is to learn the core meaning, typical placement, and fundamental particle pairings for each of these essential words. This will enable you to construct and understand basic questions, laying a crucial foundation for more complex communication. This guide will provide a thorough examination of each question word, clarifying its grammatical function, common forms, and usage nuances within the Korean linguistic system.

How This Grammar Works

Each of the 5 Ws serves a distinct interrogative purpose, interacting with Korean particles and sentence structures in specific ways. Grasping these individual behaviors is essential for precise question formation.
누구 (nugu) - Who
The word 누구 (nugu) directly translates to "who" and functions fundamentally as an interrogative noun. This noun status allows it to combine with various particles, depending on its role within the sentence.
  • As the Subject: When 누구 is the subject (the doer of the action), it would logically combine with the subject particle 이/가. However, 누구 has a critical, irregular contraction with 가. Instead of 누구가, it always becomes 누가 (nuga). This contraction is mandatory and crucial for beginners to internalize. For instance, to ask "Who made the kimchi stew?" you would say 누가 김치찌개를 만들었어요? (Nuga gimchijjigaereul mandeureosseoyo?). In a more formal context, "Who is the student in this class?" becomes 누가 이 반의 학생입니까? (Nuga i banui haksaengimnikka?).
  • As the Object: When 누구 acts as the object (the receiver of the action), it pairs with the object particle 을/를. Since 누구 ends in a vowel, 를 is used. For example, 누구를 만나고 싶어요? (Nugureul mannakgo sipeoyo? - Whom do you want to meet?) asks about the direct object of meeting. Similarly, 누구를 도와줄까요? (Nugureul dowajulkkayo? - Whom shall I help?) inquires about the person receiving help.
  • As the Predicate (with 이다 - to be): To ask for identification, 누구 combines with the copula 이다 (to be). You'd say 이분이 누구예요? (Ibuni nugueyo? - Who is this person?) to politely identify someone. A formal, honorific inquiry about a professor's identity would be 교수님은 누구십니까? (Gyosunim-eun nugusimnikka?).
  • With Other Particles: 누구 can also attach to other common particles to express various grammatical relationships. 누구에게 편지를 썼어요? (Nuguege pyeonjireul sseosseoyo? - To whom did you write a letter?) uses 에게 to indicate the recipient. To ask "With whom shall we watch a movie?" you could say 누구하고 같이 영화를 볼까요? (Nuguhago gachi yeonghwareul bolkkayo?), using 하고 같이 for "together with."
뭐 (mwo) / 무엇 (mueot) - What
The word 뭐 (mwo) translates to "what" and is a highly frequent, contracted form of 무엇 (mueot). While 무엇 represents the full, grammatically complete form, 뭐 is almost exclusively used in everyday spoken Korean and informal writing. 무엇 is typically reserved for more formal contexts, specific literary uses, or when clarity is paramount.
For beginners, prioritizing 뭐 is generally more practical. Like 누구, 뭐/무엇 functions as an interrogative noun.
  • As the Subject: When 무엇 is the subject, it combines with 이/가 to form 무엇이. However, the common contraction 뭐 combines with 가 to form 뭐가 (mwoga). This is the standard, natural way to ask "What is better?" – 뭐가 더 좋아요? (Mwoga deo johayo?). A more formal or philosophical question might use 무엇이 당신을 행복하게 합니까? (Mueosi dangsineul haengbokhage hamnikka? - What makes you happy?).
  • As the Object: 무엇 combines with 을/를 to form 무엇을. This is very frequently contracted to 뭘 (mwol) in spoken Korean, regardless of whether 무엇 or 뭐 is the base. Thus, 뭐 + 를 also results in 뭘. A very common casual question is 지금 뭘 보고 있어요? (Jigeum mwol bogo isseoyo? - What are you watching now?). In a customer service setting, one might hear 손님, 무엇을 도와드릴까요? (Sonim, mueoseul dowadeurilkkayo? - Customer, what can I help you with?) using the formal 무엇을.
  • As the Predicate (with 이다 - to be): To identify something, 뭐 is the common choice. 이게 뭐예요? (Ige mwoyeyo? - What is this?) is an indispensable phrase for beginners. A formal question about one's field of study would be 당신의 전공은 무엇입니까? (Dangsineui jeongongeun mueosimnikka? - What is your major?).
  • Adverbial Usage: 뭐 can also appear without a particle when it functions as a general interrogative or adverb, often in set phrases. For example, 뭐 해요? (Mwo haeyo? - What are you doing?) uses 뭐 to indicate the general action being performed.
어디 (eodi) - Where
어디 (eodi) means "where" and serves as an interrogative noun referring specifically to a location. Its usage is almost always accompanied by location-specific particles to clarify the nature of the inquiry.
  • Location of Destination or Existence (에): The particle 에 (e) is attached to 어디 to indicate either the destination of movement or the static location where someone or something exists. To ask "Where will you go this weekend?" you would say 주말에 어디에 갈 거예요? (Jumare eodie gal geoyeyo?). 어디에 specifies the destination. To locate a static object, you might ask 제 핸드폰이 어디에 있어요? (Je haendeuponi eodie isseoyo? - Where is my cellphone?).
  • Location of Action or Origin (에서): The particle 에서 (eseo) is crucial for asking about the place where an action occurs or the starting point/origin of an event or person. To inquire about the location of the action of studying, you'd ask 어디에서 한국어를 공부해요? (Eodieseo gongbuhaeyo? - Where do you study Korean?). A formal way to ask about a person's origin is 어디에서 오셨습니까? (Eodieseo osyeosseumnikka? - Where are you from? / Where did you come from?).
  • As a Predicate (with 이다): When asking to identify a location itself, 어디 can function as the predicate. For instance, upon arriving somewhere unfamiliar, you might ask 여기가 어디예요? (Yeogiga eodieyo? - Where is here? / What place is this?).
언제 (eonje) - When
언제 (eonje) means "when" and functions as an interrogative adverb of time. A key characteristic of adverbs in Korean is their general lack of particle attachment. While some time expressions can take 에, 언제 typically stands alone.
  • Asking for an Unspecified Time: 언제 is used to inquire about a broad timeframe—a day, a month, a year, or a general period, rather than a precise clock time (for which 몇 시 (myeot si) is used). To ask for a general time to reconvene, you could say 우리 언제 다시 만날까요? (Uri eonje dasi mannalkkayo? - When shall we meet again?). A formal question about the start of a period might be 방학이 언제 시작합니까? (Banghagi eonje sijakhamnikka? - When do the school holidays begin?).
  • Flexibility in Placement: 언제 offers some flexibility in sentence placement. It can appear at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis or, more commonly, directly before the verb or predicate it modifies. However, regardless of its position, the verb always concludes the sentence. You could ask 생일이 언제예요? (Saengiri eonjeyeyo? - When is your birthday?) where 언제 acts as the predicate. Alternatively, 여행은 언제 갈 수 있어요? (Yeohaengeun eonje gal su isseoyo? - When can we go on a trip?) places 언제 before the verb 갈 수 있어요 (can go).
왜 (wae) - Why
왜 (wae) means "why" and functions as an interrogative adverb of reason. Like 언제, 왜 generally does not combine with particles and primarily modifies the verb or predicate to inquire about the reason for an action or state.
  • Asking for a Reason: 왜 typically precedes the verb or adjective it questions. For example, 왜 그렇게 생각해요? (Wae geureoke saenggakhaeyo? - Why do you think that way?) directly questions the reason for thinking. A formal inquiry about absence might be 철수는 왜 학교에 오지 않았습니까? (Cheolsuneun wae hakgyoe oji anasseumnikka? - Why did Cheolsu not come to school?).
  • Standing Alone: In informal contexts, 왜 can be used as a standalone question. Adding 요 makes it polite. 왜? (Wae? - Why?) is casual and can sound abrupt. 왜요? (Waeyo? - Why?) is polite, often used to seek clarification or express mild surprise. This short form is extremely common in daily conversation.

Word Order Rules

The Korean language adheres to a fundamental Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order for declarative sentences. This structure is largely maintained even when forming questions with interrogative words. Crucially, in Korean, the question word does not typically move to the beginning of the sentence as it does in English.
Instead, the question word replaces the constituent it is asking about, serving as a direct placeholder for the unknown information within the established SOV framework. The verb, which conveys the main action or state, consistently remains at the end of the sentence.
Consider a simple declarative sentence: 저는 사과를 먹어요. (Jeoneun sagwareul meogeoyo. - I eat an apple.)
  • If you want to ask what you are eating, the question word 뭐 (what) replaces 사과 (apple), the object. The sentence becomes: 저는 뭐를 먹어요? (Jeoneun mworeul meogeoyo? - What do I eat? / What are you eating?). Often, 저는 can be omitted if the context is clear. This demonstrates the question word taking the object's position.
  • If you wanted to ask who eats an apple, 누가 (who, subject form) would replace 저 (I), the subject: 누가 사과를 먹어요? (Nuga sagwareul meogeoyo? - Who eats an apple?). Here, 누가 occupies the subject position.
This principle applies consistently across all question words: the interrogative word occupies the grammatical slot of the piece of information you are querying. If 누구 asks about the subject, it goes where the subject would be. If 어디 asks about a location of action, it goes where that adverbial phrase would be, typically before the verb.
While the verb-final rule is rigid, adverbs like 언제 (when) and 왜 (why) exhibit a degree of flexibility in their placement. They often appear immediately before the verb they modify, but can also be placed at the beginning of the sentence. This initial placement can add a subtle emphasis to the interrogative aspect, without altering the core SOV structure where the main verb always concludes the sentence.
  • 언제 도서관에 갈 거예요? (Eonje doseogwane gal geoyeyo? - When will you go to the library?) Here, 언제 is at the beginning, subtly emphasizing the time.
  • 도서관에 언제 갈 거예요? (Doseogwane eonje gal geoyeyo? - When will you go to the library?) Here, 언제 is before the verb 갈 거예요 (will go). Both are grammatically correct and widely used. The meaning remains the same, but the initial placement of 언제 might slightly foreground the time aspect of the question.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming questions with the 5 Ws in Korean follows a logical pattern rooted in replacing the unknown element with the appropriate question word and applying suitable particles and polite endings. The consistent SOV framework guides this process.
2
General Structure:
3
The most basic pattern for a question is:
4
[Subject (optional)] [Time/Location (optional)] [Question Word + Particle (if applicable)] [Verb/Adjective] + [Question Ending]
5
Common Question Endings:
6
Korean employs specific sentence endings to transform a statement into a question. At the A1 level, you will primarily use the polite 해요체 (haeyoche) and the formal polite 합니다체 (hamnidache). The choice depends on the level of formality required by the social context.
7
| Style | Ending (Verb/Adjective Stem) | Usage | Example (to 하다 - to do) | Example (to be good - 좋다) |
8
| :-------------- | :--------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------- | :----------------------------- |
9
| Polite (-요) | -아요?/어요? | Most common, general polite speech. Used with superiors, strangers, and those not intimately familiar with. | 해요? | 좋아요? |
10
| Formal Polite | -ㅂ니까?/습니까? | Used in formal settings, public speeches, news broadcasts, or when addressing someone of very high status. | 합니까? | 좋습니까? |
11
Combining Question Words with Particles and Endings:
12
This table summarizes the core forms and provides examples in both polite styles.
13
| Q-Word | Function | Particle/Contraction | Example (해요체) | Romanization | Example (합니다체) | Romanization | Translation |
14
| :----------- | :----------- | :------------------- | :---------------------------------- | :--------------------------- | :---------------------------------- | :-------------------------------- | :-------------------------------- |
15
| 누구 (who) | Subject | 누가 | 누가 한국 사람이에요? | Nuga hanguk saramieyo? | 누가 한국 사람입니까? | Nuga hanguk saramimnikka? | Who is Korean? |
16
| 누구 (who) | Object | 를 | 누구를 기다려요? | Nugureul gidaryeoyo? | 누구를 기다립니까? | Nugureul gidarimnikka? | Whom are you waiting for? |
17
| 누구 (who) | Predicate | 이에요?/예요? | 이름이 누구예요? | Ireumi nugueyo? | 성함이 누구십니까? | Seonghami nugusimnikka? | What is your name? (Who is name?) |
18
| 뭐 (what) | Subject | 뭐가 | 뭐가 제일 좋아요? | Mwoga jeil johayo? | 뭐가 제일 좋습니까? | Mwoga jeil joseumnikka? | What is the best? |
19
| 뭐 (what) | Object | 뭘 (무엇을) | 뭘 먹고 싶어요? | Mwol meokgo sipeoyo? | 무엇을 드시겠습니까? | Mueoseul deusigetseumnikka? | What do you want to eat? |
20
| 뭐 (what) | Predicate | 이에요?/예요? | 이게 뭐예요? | Ige mwoyeyo? | 이것이 무엇입니까? | Igeosi mueosimnikka? | What is this? |
21
| 어디 (where)| Destination | 에 | 어디에 가요? | Eodie gayo? | 어디에 가십니까? | Eodie gasimnikka? | Where are you going? |
22
| 어디 (where)| Action/Origin| 에서 | 어디에서 왔어요? | Eodieseo wasseoyo? | 어디에서 오셨습니까? | Eodieseo osyeosseumnikka? | Where are you from? |
23
| 언제 (when) | Adverb | (none) | 시험이 언제 끝나요? | Siheomi eonje kkeunnayo? | 회의는 언제 시작합니까? | Hoeuineun eonje sijakhamnikka? | When does the exam end? |
24
| 왜 (why) | Adverb | (none) | 왜 그렇게 웃어요? | Wae geureoke useoyo? | 왜 그렇게 하셨습니까? | Wae geureoke hasyeosseumnikka? | Why are you laughing like that? |

When To Use It

The 5 Ws are indispensable tools for eliciting specific information and driving conversation. Their utility extends beyond simple direct questions, encompassing situations where you seek clarification, express curiosity, or even use them to refer to unspecified entities.
  1. 1Gathering Specific Information: This is the primary and most obvious application. You use these words when a particular piece of information (a person, object, place, time, or reason) is unknown and you need to identify it.
  • 이름이 뭐예요? (Ireumi mwoyeyo? - What is your name?) – Directly asking for identity.
  • 우리 학교는 어디에 있어요? (Uri hakgyoneun eodie isseoyo? - Where is our school?) – Pinpointing a location.
  • 한국어를 왜 공부해요? (Hangugeoreul wae gongbuhaeyo? - Why do you study Korean?) – Seeking the underlying reason.
  1. 1Expressing Curiosity or Seeking Confirmation: The 5 Ws allow you to show interest or to confirm details you are uncertain about. This often involves a slightly softer intonation than a direct question.
  • **(A: 저는 어제 유명한 배우를 만났어요.) B: 와, 누가요?!` ((A: Jeoneun eoje yumyeonghan baeureul mannasseoyo. - I met a famous actor yesterday.) B: Wa, nugayo?! - Wow, who was it?!) – Expressing surprise and curiosity about the person.
  • **(A: 그 가게 문 닫았어요.) B: 왜요? 갑자기요?` ((A: Geu gage mun dadaseoyo. - That store closed.) B: Waeyo? Gapjagiyo? - Why? Suddenly?) – Seeking a reason in response to new information.
  1. 1As Indefinite Pronouns ("Someone," "Something," "Somewhere"): Korean interrogative words can also function as indefinite pronouns when used in declarative sentences or with a specific, often rising, intonation. At the A1 level, this is primarily discerned through context and a less assertive, sometimes rising, interrogative intonation, transforming a direct question into an inquiry about any instance. More advanced grammatical structures exist (-든지, -도) for explicitly forming indefinite pronouns, but for beginners, focus on the contextual usage. This is a subtle yet common nuance in native speech.
  • 누구 왔어요? (Nugu wasseoyo? - Did someone come?) – With a gentle, rising intonation, this implies "Is there anyone who came?" rather than "Who specifically came?".
  • 뭐 먹고 싶어요? (Mwo meokgo sipeoyo? - Do you want to eat something?) – A less direct way of asking if the person has an appetite, implying "anything" or "something." The speaker isn't asking for a specific food, but if the listener wants any food.
  • 어디 가요? (Eodi gayo? - Are you going somewhere?) – A common, casual way to ask if someone is heading out, without asking for the specific destination. It implies "Are you going to any place?"

Common Mistakes

Beginner learners often encounter specific hurdles when integrating the 5 Ws into their Korean. Being aware of these common pitfalls can significantly accelerate your learning process by understanding the why behind the correction.
  • Misapplying Subject Particles to 누구: The most frequent error is saying 누구가 instead of the obligatory contraction 누가. This is not a stylistic choice; 누구가 is simply ungrammatical. The contraction occurred historically and is now a fixed rule. Remember, 누구 + 가 always becomes 누가. There are no exceptions for beginners.
  • Incorrect: 누구가 왔어요?
  • Correct: 누가 왔어요? (Nuga wasseoyo? - Who came?)
  • Confusing 어디에 and 어디에서: Both particles 에 and 에서 denote location, but their functions are distinct, representing different aspects of location. 에 indicates a static location or the destination of movement, focusing on the state or arrival. 에서 indicates the location where an action occurs, focusing on the activity. Using them interchangeably fundamentally alters the meaning.
  • Incorrect: 어디에 공부해요? (This literally implies "Where do you study to?" or "Where do you exist for studying?")
  • Correct: 어디에서 공부해요? (Eodieseo gongbuhaeyo? - Where do you study?) – asking about the location of the action of studying.
  • Correct: 어디에 있어요? (Eodie isseoyo? - Where is it?) – asking about the static location of existence.
  • Overusing 무엇 instead of 뭐: While 무엇 is grammatically correct and has its place in formal contexts, using it in casual or everyday conversation often sounds unnatural, stiff, and overly formal. Korean speakers strongly prefer 뭐 and its contractions (뭐가, 뭘) in most daily interactions. Over-formalizing your speech makes it sound less natural.
  • Less natural (but grammatically correct): 무엇을 먹고 싶어요? (While correct, 뭘 먹고 싶어요? is far more common and natural for "What do you want to eat?")
  • Incorrectly placing question words, especially the verb: While 언제 and 왜 have some flexibility in their placement, remember that the verb must always be at the end of the sentence. Placing the question word after the verb, or placing the verb before the end of the sentence in a question, is a fundamental grammatical error that violates the SOV structure.
  • Incorrect: 가요 어디에? (The verb 가요 is not at the end.)
  • Correct: 어디에 가요? (Eodie gayo? - Where are you going?)

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Understanding how the 5 Ws differ from or relate to other interrogative structures can prevent confusion and enhance your precision.
  • 언제 (when) vs. 몇 시 (myeot si - what time): Both inquire about time, but 언제 asks about a general, unspecified period (e.g., a day, month, year, or just "some time"), whereas 몇 시 specifically asks about a precise clock time or hour.
  • 생일이 언제예요? (Saengiri eonjeyeyo? - When is your birthday?) – Asks for the day/month of a birthday, not the exact hour.
  • 지금 몇 시예요? (Jigeum myeot siyeyo? - What time is it now?) – Asks for the current precise hour.
  • 수업은 언제 시작해요? (Suyeobeun eonje sijakhaeyo? - When does class start?) – Could be asking for the day (Monday) or general time of day (morning).
  • 수업은 몇 시에 시작해요? (Suyeobeun myeot sie sijakhaeyo? - At what time does class start?) – Specifically asks for the hour (e.g., 9 o'clock).
  • Direct Questions vs. Indefinite Pronoun Usage (Intonation): As noted in "When To Use It," the 5 Ws can also function as indefinite pronouns when context or intonation suggests. This is a subtle but important distinction from languages where dedicated indefinite pronouns exist. In Korean, the same word can perform both roles.
  • 누가 왔어요? (Nuga wasseoyo? - Who came?) – Direct, assertive question seeking specific identity.
  • 누구 왔어요? (Nugu wasseoyo? - Did someone come?) – Softer, rising intonation, inquiring about the presence of anyone.
The distinction lies in the speaker's intent and emphasis. Pay close attention to how native speakers use these words and how their intonation changes their meaning.

Real Conversations

To truly grasp the 5 Ws, observe their natural usage in various contexts. These examples show how they appear in everyday exchanges, from polite inquiries to more casual chats.

S

Scenario 1

Meeting a new person (Polite - 해요체)
A

A

안녕하세요. 제 이름은 김민준이에요. (Annyeonghaseyo. Je ireumeun Gim Minjunieyo. - Hello. My name is Kim Minjun.)
B

B

아, 안녕하세요! 민준 씨는 어디에서 오셨어요? (A, annyeonghaseyo! Minjun ssineun eodieseo osyeosseoyo? - Oh, hello! Minjun, where are you from?)
A

A

저는 서울에서 왔어요. 그런데 지영 씨는 뭐 하세요? (Jeoneun seoureseo wasseoyo. Geureonde Jiyeong ssineun mwo haseyo? - I'm from Seoul. By the way, what do you do, Jiyoung?)
S

Scenario 2

Making plans (Casual - 해체)
A

A

우리 주말에 뭐 할까? (Uri jumare mwo halkka? - What should we do this weekend?)
B

B

음... 영화 보러 갈까? 누가 표 예매할래? (Eum... yeonghwa boreo galkka? Nuga pyo yemaehallae? - Hmm... shall we go see a movie? Who wants to book tickets?)
A

A

좋아! 언제 시간 돼? (Johwa! Eonje sigan dwae? - Good! When are you free?)
S

Scenario 3

Texting/Online Chat (Informal)
A

A

야, 너 왜 답장 안 해? ㅠㅠ (Ya, neo wae dapjang an hae? T.T - Hey, why aren't you replying? T.T)
B

B

미안! 나 어제 폰 어디에 뒀는지 까먹었어... (Mian! Na eoje pon eodie dwonneunji kkameogeosseo... - Sorry! I forgot where I put my phone yesterday...)
C

Cultural Insight

In Korean, direct questions using 왜 (why) can sometimes feel a bit blunt or demanding, especially in formal settings or when questioning a superior. It's often softened with phrases like 무슨 이유로 (museun iyuro - for what reason) or by using more indirect phrasing when possible. For beginners, start by using 왜 directly, but be mindful of the context and relationship.

Quick FAQ

Here are quick answers to common questions about the 5 Ws in Korean:
  • Can 누구 be used informally without a particle?
Yes, in very casual speech, especially when asking "Who's there?" or "Who is it?", you might hear 누구야? (nuguya?) using informal endings. However, at A1, always aim for particle use or 이에요/예요 for identification.
  • Is 뭐 always shorter than 무엇?
Yes, 뭐 is a contraction. Think of it as the default for most situations, and 무엇 as the more formal or emphasized version. You'll rarely go wrong using 뭐 in A1 contexts.
  • Do 언제 and 왜 ever take particles?
Rarely. They function as adverbs and typically stand alone before the verb. 언제에 is grammatically incorrect. While some adverbs can take 에 for specific temporal nuance, 언제 and 왜 do not follow this pattern for beginners.
  • How do I know if it's 어디에 or 어디에서?
If you're asking about existence (where something is) or destination (where someone is going to), use 어디에. If you're asking about the location of an action (where something is happening), use 어디에서. Think: "Is there an active verb occurring at that location?" If yes, 에서; if not, 에.

3. Question Word Usage

Question Word Meaning Particle Usage Example
누구
Who
누가 (Subj)
누가 왔어요?
무엇
What
무엇을 (Obj)
무엇을 봐요?
어디
Where
어디에/에서
어디에 가요?
언제
When
None
언제 와요?
왜
Why
None
왜 울어요?

Common Shortened Forms

Full Form Short Form Usage
무엇을
뭘
Casual
무엇이
뭐가
Casual
어디에
어디
Common

Meanings

These are the core interrogative words used to request specific information about people, things, locations, time, and reasons.

1

Who (누구)

Used to ask about the identity of a person.

“누구세요?”

“누가 왔어요?”

2

What (무엇)

Used to ask about objects or abstract concepts.

“무엇을 먹어요?”

“이게 무엇이에요?”

3

Where (어디)

Used to ask about a location or place.

“어디에 살아요?”

“어디 가요?”

4

When (언제)

Used to ask about time or occasions.

“언제 만나요?”

“언제 와요?”

5

Why (왜)

Used to ask for a reason or cause.

“왜 울어요?”

“왜 안 왔어요?”

Reference Table

Reference table for The 5 Ws: Who, What, Where, When, Why
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
S + O + V
저는 사과를 먹어요.
Question
S + Q + V
저는 무엇을 먹어요?
Subject Question
Q(Subj) + V
누가 먹어요?
Location Question
S + Q(Loc) + V
저는 어디에 가요?
Time Question
S + Q(Time) + V
저는 언제 가요?
Reason Question
Q(Why) + S + V
왜 저는 가요?
Short Answer
Noun
사과요.
Polite Answer
S + O + V
사과를 먹어요.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
무엇을 하고 계십니까?

무엇을 하고 계십니까? (General inquiry)

Neutral
무엇을 해요?

무엇을 해요? (General inquiry)

Informal
뭐 해?

뭐 해? (General inquiry)

Slang
뭐 하냐?

뭐 하냐? (General inquiry)

The 5 Ws Map

5 Ws

Person

  • 누구 Who

Object

  • 무엇 What

Place

  • 어디 Where

Time

  • 언제 When

Reason

  • 왜 Why
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

이름이 무엇이에요?

What is your name?

2

어디에 살아요?

Where do you live?

3

누구예요?

Who is it?

4

언제 만나요?

When shall we meet?

1

왜 학교에 안 갔어요?

Why didn't you go to school?

2

누가 이 케이크를 만들었어요?

Who made this cake?

3

무엇을 먹고 싶어요?

What do you want to eat?

4

어디에서 공부해요?

Where do you study?

1

그 사람이 누구인지 아세요?

Do you know who that person is?

2

언제쯤 도착할 수 있을까요?

About when might you be able to arrive?

3

무슨 일을 하시는지 여쭤봐도 될까요?

May I ask what kind of work you do?

4

왜 그런 결정을 내렸는지 설명해 주세요.

Please explain why you made that decision.

1

어디를 가든 상관없어요.

It doesn't matter where we go.

2

무엇이 문제인지 파악하는 것이 중요합니다.

It is important to grasp what the problem is.

3

언제든 편할 때 연락 주세요.

Contact me whenever it is convenient.

4

누구와 함께 가는지 알려주세요.

Please let me know who you are going with.

1

도대체 왜 그런 행동을 했는지 이해할 수 없네요.

I simply cannot understand why you acted that way.

2

무엇을 상상하든 그 이상일 것입니다.

Whatever you imagine, it will be more than that.

3

어디에 내놓아도 손색없는 작품입니다.

It is a work that would be excellent anywhere.

4

누구라도 그 상황에서는 그렇게 했을 거예요.

Anyone would have done the same in that situation.

1

언제나 그렇듯, 문제는 항상 예기치 못한 곳에서 발생합니다.

As always, problems arise from unexpected places.

2

무엇이 그를 그렇게 만들었는지 아무도 모릅니다.

No one knows what made him that way.

3

어디 한 번 어디까지 가나 봅시다.

Let's see just how far this goes.

4

누구 하나 불평하는 사람 없이 잘 마무리되었습니다.

It finished well without a single person complaining.

Easily Confused

The 5 Ws: Who, What, Where, When, Why vs 무엇 vs 무슨

Both mean 'what', but '무엇' is a pronoun and '무슨' is a determiner.

The 5 Ws: Who, What, Where, When, Why vs 누구 vs 누가

They are the same word but change form based on the particle.

The 5 Ws: Who, What, Where, When, Why vs 어디 vs 어디에

Learners often forget the location particle.

Common Mistakes

✗

어디 저는 가요?

✓

저는 어디에 가요?

Question words don't go to the front.
✗

누구 했어요?

✓

누가 했어요?

누구 + 가 = 누가.
✗

무엇 먹어요?

✓

무엇을 먹어요?

Need object particle.
✗

왜요 가요?

✓

왜 가요?

Why is an adverb.
✗

언제에 가요?

✓

언제 가요?

언제 doesn't take time particles.
✗

무엇이 이름이에요?

✓

이름이 무엇이에요?

Word order.
✗

어디에서 가요?

✓

어디에 가요?

Destination uses 에.
✗

누구를 갔어요?

✓

누가 갔어요?

Subject particle error.
✗

왜 안 가는지 몰라요.

✓

왜 안 가는지 몰라요 (Correct, but check context).

Ensure verb endings are correct.
✗

무엇을 하고 싶어?

✓

뭐 하고 싶어?

Casual speech.
✗

도대체 무엇을 했어?

✓

도대체 뭘 했어?

Register mismatch.
✗

어디에 내놓아도 손색없다.

✓

어디에 내놓아도 손색없다 (Correct).

Check particle usage.
✗

누구 하나 불평이 없다.

✓

누구 하나 불평하는 사람이 없다.

Grammar structure.

Sentence Patterns

저는 ___을/를 먹어요.

___에 가요?

___가 왔어요?

___에 만나요?

Real World Usage

Texting constant

뭐 해?

Ordering Food very common

무엇이 맛있어요?

Travel common

어디가 역이에요?

Job Interview common

무슨 일을 하십니까?

Social Media common

누구세요?

Classroom common

언제 숙제를 해요?

Sign up free to see all examples
💡

Particle Power

Always remember that particles like -가 or -를 attach to the question word, not the verb.
⚠️

Don't Front-load

Resist the urge to move question words to the front of the sentence.
🎯

Context is Key

In casual speech, '무엇' becomes '뭐'. Use it to sound more natural.
💬

Polite 'Why'

Asking '왜' can be blunt. Soften it with '어떻게' (how) or '무슨 일' (what happened) when possible.

Smart Tips

Always check if you need the subject particle -가. If so, use 누가.

누구 왔어요? → 누가 왔어요?

Use '무엇이' or '뭐가' to ask what is good.

무엇 맛있어요? → 뭐가 맛있어요?

Use '어디에' for the destination.

어디 가요? → 어디에 가요?

Use '언제' without particles.

언제에 만나요? → 언제 만나요?

Pronunciation

nu-ga

누가

Pronounced as [누가], not [누구-가].

mu-eot

무엇

The final 'ㅅ' is pronounced as 'ㄷ' before a particle.

Rising

어디 가요?↗

Standard question intonation.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'Who, What, Where, When, Why' as 'Nu-Mu-Eo-Eon-Wae'.

Visual Association

Imagine a detective with five magnifying glasses, each labeled with one of the 5 Ws, searching for clues in a Korean market.

Rhyme

Who is 누구, What is 무엇, Where is 어디, When is 언제, Why is 왜.

Story

A lost traveler asks: '누구' (Who) is here? '무엇' (What) is this? '어디' (Where) am I? '언제' (When) does the bus come? '왜' (Why) is it raining?

Word Web

누구무엇어디언제왜누가뭐

Challenge

Write 5 questions about your daily routine using one of each W-word.

Cultural Notes

Asking 'Why' (왜) can be perceived as aggressive. Use '무슨 일이에요?' (What happened?) instead.

Use honorifics when asking questions to superiors.

Shortening words is very common.

These interrogatives have roots in Middle Korean, evolving from demonstrative bases.

Conversation Starters

“

오늘 무엇을 했어요?

“

주말에 어디에 가요?

“

가장 좋아하는 음식이 무엇이에요?

“

언제 한국에 처음 왔어요?

Journal Prompts

Write about your day using '무엇' and '어디'.
Ask your friend 5 questions about their life.
Explain why you are learning Korean.
Describe a person you admire and why.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank: 저는 ___에 가요?

어디

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 어디
Destination requires 'where'.
Which is correct? Multiple Choice

누가 왔어요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 누가 왔어요?
Subject needs -가.
Fix the sentence: 무엇 책을 읽어요? Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

무슨 책을 읽어요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 무슨 책을 읽어요?
Use '무슨' before nouns.
Reorder: 가요 / 어디 / 저는 Sentence Building

저는 어디에 가요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 저는 어디에 가요?
Standard SOV order.
Translate: Why are you crying? Translation

왜 울어요?

Answer starts with: 왜 울...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 왜 울어요?
Why = 왜.
Match the word to the meaning. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 누구-Who
Correct mapping.
Complete: A: ___ 먹어요? B: 사과를 먹어요. Dialogue Completion

무엇을

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 무엇을
Object is food.
True or False: Question words move to the front. True False Rule

False

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Korean keeps word order.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank: 저는 ___에 가요?

어디

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 어디
Destination requires 'where'.
Which is correct? Multiple Choice

누가 왔어요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 누가 왔어요?
Subject needs -가.
Fix the sentence: 무엇 책을 읽어요? Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

무슨 책을 읽어요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 무슨 책을 읽어요?
Use '무슨' before nouns.
Reorder: 가요 / 어디 / 저는 Sentence Building

저는 어디에 가요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 저는 어디에 가요?
Standard SOV order.
Translate: Why are you crying? Translation

왜 울어요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 왜 울어요?
Why = 왜.
Match the word to the meaning. Match Pairs

누구 - Who

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 누구-Who
Correct mapping.
Complete: A: ___ 먹어요? B: 사과를 먹어요. Dialogue Completion

무엇을

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 무엇을
Object is food.
True or False: Question words move to the front. True False Rule

False

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Korean keeps word order.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank with 'When'. Fill in the Blank

한국에 ___ 가요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 언제
Which word is used to ask for a reason? Multiple Choice

___ 늦었어? (Why are you late?)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 왜
Identify the unnatural phrase. Error Correction

무엇 해요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 뭐 해요?
Form the sentence: 'Who is Jane?' Sentence Reorder

Order these words.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 제인이 누구예요
Match the Korean word to its English meaning. Match Pairs

Match the pairs.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["Who","When","Where","Why"]
Translate 'Where is it?' to Korean. Translation

Where is it?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 어디예요?
Complete the sentence: '___ ate the pizza?' Fill in the Blank

___ 피자를 먹었어?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 누가
Select the correct particle for 'Where'. Multiple Choice

어디___ 가요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 에
Fix the word order. Error Correction

가요 어디?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 어디 가요?
Ask: 'Why is it expensive?' Sentence Reorder

Rearrange.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 왜 비싸요

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Usually yes, especially for '누구' and '무엇'. '언제' and '왜' are adverbs and don't need them.

It's a contraction of '누구' + '가' (subject particle).

It's better to use '무슨 이유로' (for what reason) to be more polite.

Yes, it's the shortened version of '무엇' and is used in casual settings.

Use '무슨' before the noun.

No, '누구' is used for both subject and object roles.

Yes, in embedded clauses like 'I don't know who it is'.

Moving the question word to the front of the sentence.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish high

quién/qué/dónde/cuándo/por qué

Word order is the main difference.

French high

qui/quoi/où/quand/pourquoi

Korean avoids inversion.

German high

wer/was/wo/wann/warum

Korean is SOV, German is V2.

Japanese very_high

dare/nani/doko/itsu/naze

Particles are similar but not identical.

Arabic moderate

man/madha/ayna/mata/limadha

Arabic is VSO/SVO, Korean is SOV.

Chinese moderate

shei/shenme/nali/shenme shihou/weishenme

Chinese has no verb conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Asking Questions (Basic Formation)
Next
Subject Particle 이/가

Related Grammar Rules

A2

Polite Negation: Saying 'Not' Professionally (-지 않다)

Overview In Korean, expressing negation goes beyond a simple 'no.' The choice between different negative forms often con...
A2

Formal Negation: Cannot (지 못하다)

Overview This grammar pattern, `~지 못하다` (ji mot-hada), is a fundamental construction in Korean used to express **ina...
A1

Korean Long Negation: Using -지 않다 (-ji anh-da)

Overview Korean features distinct methods for expressing negation, signifying what "is not" or "does not happen." For A1...
A1

Short Negation with 안 (Don't/Not)

Overview Korean negation allows you to express what is not, what you don't do, or what isn't true. Among the various neg...
A2

Negative Commands: Don't do it! (-지 말다)

Overview When you need to tell someone to stop an action, refrain from doing something, or issue a direct prohibition, K...
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!