Table of Contents
Understanding Basic Urdu Question Words
In this chapter you will learn how to use some of the most common Urdu question words. These words let you ask for information in very simple, everyday sentences.
We will focus on:
- کیا “what”
- کب “when”
- کہاں “where”
- کیوں “why”
Later chapters will deal with full question structures in more detail. Here we concentrate on what is special about each word, and how it behaves in basic sentences.
کیا “what”
1. Two main uses of کیا
Urdu کیا has two very common functions:
- As a yes/no question marker (covered in the next subchapter, not explained in full here)
- As the question word “what”
Here we focus on کیا = what.
You use کیا to ask about things, actions, or ideas, not about people.
2. Position of کیا in the sentence
In simple questions, کیا usually comes:
- at the beginning of the sentence, or
- just before the part you are asking about
Remember that Urdu word order is normally Subject Object Verb (S O V). The verb still goes at the end, even in questions.
Compare:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| What are you doing? | tum kya kar rahe ho? | تم کیا کر رہے ہو؟ |
| What is this? | yeh kya hai? | یہ کیا ہے؟ |
| What do you want? | tum kya chahte ho? | تم کیا چاہتے ہو؟ |
| What do you eat? | tum kya khāte ho? | تم کیا کھاتے ہو؟ |
In these examples کیا comes before the verb phrase.
3. Asking “what is X?”
Use the pattern:
$$X + کیا + ہے؟$$
Examples:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| What is this? | yeh kya hai? | یہ کیا ہے؟ |
| What is that? | woh kya hai? | وہ کیا ہے؟ |
| What is your name? | tumhārā nām kya hai? (informal) | تمہارا نام کیا ہے؟ |
| What is your name? | aap kā nām kya hai? (polite) | آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟ |
Note how کیا comes just before ہے in these “What is X?” questions.
4. Asking “what do you … ?”
Use the pattern:
$$\text{Subject} + کیا + \text{verb phrase}?$$
Examples:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| What do you do? (job, in life) | aap kya karte hain? | آپ کیا کرتے ہیں؟ |
| What are you eating? | tum kya khā rahe ho? | تم کیا کھا رہے ہو؟ |
| What are you reading? | aap kya parh rahe hain? | آپ کیا پڑھ رہے ہیں؟ |
| What do you want to buy? | aap kya kharīd nā chāhte hain? | آپ کیا خریدنا چاہتے ہیں؟ |
You can also ask about objects:
- yeh kitāb kis ke liye hai? (Whose is this book, literally “for whom”)
- yeh kya kitāb hai? (What kind of book is this?)
but details of “what kind of” questions will appear later with adjectives.
5. کیا vs کون “who”
کیا is for things and actions, not for people.
- یہ کیا ہے؟
yeh kya hai?
“What is this?” (thing) - یہ کون ہے؟
yeh kaun hai?
“Who is this?” (person)
RULE: Use کیا (kya) to ask “what” about things, actions, and ideas. Use کون (kaun) to ask “who” about people.
کب “when”
1. Basic idea
Use کب (kab) to ask “when” about time. It can refer to:
- time of day
- day, date
- past, present, or future
2. Typical position of کب
کب usually comes just before the verb, but in many simple questions you can place it earlier in the sentence without changing the meaning.
Common patterns:
- Subject + کب + verb
- کب + subject + verb
Examples:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| When are you coming? | tum kab ā rahe ho? | تم کب آ رہے ہو؟ |
| When are you coming? (polite) | aap kab ā rahe hain? | آپ کب آ رہے ہیں؟ |
| When are you going? | tum kab jā rahe ho? | تم کب جا رہے ہو؟ |
| When do you sleep? | tum kab sotē ho? | تم کب سوتے ہو؟ |
| When will you call? | aap kab phone kareṅge? | آپ کب فون کریں گے؟ |
In these, کب comes just before the verb phrase.
3. Asking about past time
The same word کب is used for the past. The verb changes tense, not the question word.
Examples:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| When did you come? | tum kab āe? | تم کب آئے؟ |
| When did you go? | aap kab gae? | آپ کب گئے؟ |
| When did you arrive? | aap kab pahūnche? | آپ کب پہنچے؟ |
4. Asking about days or dates
You can add extra words like kal (yesterday / tomorrow, from context) or aaj (today), but the core “when” word stays کب.
Examples:
- aap kab āoge, aaj yā kal?
“When will you come, today or tomorrow?” - tum kab fārig hote ho?
“When do you get free?” / “When are you free?”
RULE: کب (kab) always means “when”. It does not change form for past, present, or future. Only the verb tense changes.
کہاں “where”
1. Basic idea
Use کہاں (kahā̃) to ask “where” about location or destination.
- Where something is
- Where someone is
- Where someone is going
2. Position of کہاں
In simple sentences, کہاں can appear:
- after the subject, before the verb
- at the beginning, especially in short questions
Examples, pattern: Subject + کہاں + verb
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Where are you? | tum kahā̃ ho? | تم کہاں ہو؟ |
| Where are you? (polite) | aap kahā̃ hain? | آپ کہاں ہیں؟ |
| Where is Ali? | Ali kahā̃ hai? | علی کہاں ہے؟ |
| Where is the book? | kitāb kahā̃ hai? | کتاب کہاں ہے؟ |
Examples, pattern: کہاں + verb (short questions)
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Where? | kahā̃? | کہاں؟ |
| Where to? | kahā̃ jā rahe ho? | کہاں جا رہے ہو؟ |
3. Asking “Where are you going?” and “Where do you live?”
These are very common everyday questions.
Examples:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Where are you going? | tum kahā̃ jā rahe ho? | تم کہاں جا رہے ہو؟ |
| Where are you going? (polite) | aap kahā̃ jā rahe hain? | آپ کہاں جا رہے ہیں؟ |
| Where do you live? | tum kahā̃ rehte ho? | تم کہاں رہتے ہو؟ |
| Where do you live? (polite) | aap kahā̃ rehte hain? | آپ کہاں رہتے ہیں؟ |
4. Asking about origin: “Where are you from?”
There are several natural ways to ask this, but the key word is still کہاں.
Some common patterns:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Where are you from? | aap kahā̃ se hain? | آپ کہاں سے ہیں؟ |
| Where are you from? | aap kis jagah se hain? | آپ کس جگہ سے ہیں؟ |
| Where is your house? | aap kā ghar kahā̃ hai? | آپ کا گھر کہاں ہے؟ |
Here سے (se) means “from,” which you will study in more detail with postpositions. For now, notice that کہاں still shows the question “where.”
RULE: Use کہاں (kahā̃) to ask about place or destination. It can combine with postpositions like سے (from) and میں (in), but the question word itself stays the same.
کیوں “why”
1. Basic idea
Use کیوں (kyō̃) to ask “why” about reasons and causes.
You often use کیوں with questions about actions, decisions, or situations.
2. Position of کیوں
Like other question words, کیوں often comes:
- before the verb phrase
- sometimes at the beginning for extra emphasis
Common pattern: Subject + کیوں + verb phrase
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Why are you crying? | tum kyō̃ ro rahe ho? | تم کیوں رو رہے ہو؟ |
| Why are you late? | tum kyō̃ der se ho? | تم کیوں دیر سے ہو؟ |
| Why are you laughing? | tum kyō̃ hans rahe ho? | تم کیوں ہنس رہے ہو؟ |
| Why are you upset? | aap kyō̃ narāz hain? | آپ کیوں ناراض ہیں؟ |
Short questions:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Why? | kyō̃? | کیوں؟ |
3. Asking about reasons for actions
Examples:
| English | Urdu (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Why are you going? | tum kyō̃ jā rahe ho? | تم کیوں جا رہے ہو؟ |
| Why did you go? | tum kyō̃ gae? | تم کیوں گئے؟ |
| Why are you laughing? | aap kyō̃ hans rahe hain? | آپ کیوں ہنس رہے ہیں؟ |
| Why are you angry? | tum kyō̃ ghussē mẽ ho? | تم کیوں غصے میں ہو؟ |
| Why do you want this? | tum yeh kyō̃ chāhte ho? | تم یہ کیوں چاہتے ہو؟ |
Again, کیوں itself does not change. The verb shows the tense.
4. Politeness with کیوں
Asking “why” can sometimes feel strong or direct. To sound more polite, speakers may:
- add aap instead of tum
- use softer verbs like “want” or “like”
- add polite words like ji (you will see more on politeness later)
Compare:
- tum kyō̃ nārāz ho?
Informal, can sound sharp: “Why are you upset?” - aap kyō̃ nārāz hain?
More polite: “Why are you upset?” - aap kyō̃ pareshaan hain?
Also polite, a bit softer.
RULE: کیوں (kyō̃) asks for a reason, not a time or place. The form of کیوں does not change with tense. Only the verb changes form.
Combining Question Words in Practice
Although each question word has its own meaning, in real conversations you often meet them together, in short dialogues.
Below are some very simple exchanges that use the four words of this chapter.
Dialogue 1: Where and when
A: تم کہاں جا رہے ہو؟
tum kahā̃ jā rahe ho?
“Where are you going?”
B: میں بازار جا رہا ہوں۔
maĩ bāzār jā rahā hũ.
“I am going to the market.”
A: تم کب آؤ گے؟
tum kab āoge?
“When will you come (back)?”
B: میں شام کو آؤں گا۔
maĩ shām ko āũgā.
“I will come in the evening.”
Dialogue 2: What and why
A: تم کیا کر رہے ہو؟
tum kya kar rahe ho?
“What are you doing?”
B: میں پڑھ رہا ہوں۔
maĩ parh rahā hũ.
“I am studying / reading.”
A: تم کیوں پڑھ رہے ہو؟
tum kyō̃ parh rahe ho?
“Why are you studying?”
B: کیونکہ کل امتحان ہے۔
kyūnke kal imtiḥān hai.
“Because the exam is tomorrow.”
(Note: کیونکہ “because” belongs to a later chapter on conjunctions.)
Dialogue 3: Asking personal information
A: آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟
aap kā nām kya hai?
“What is your name?”
B: میرا نام سارا ہے۔
merā nām Sārā hai.
“My name is Sara.”
A: آپ کہاں سے ہیں؟
aap kahā̃ se hain?
“Where are you from?”
B: میں پاکستان سے ہوں۔
maĩ Pākistān se hũ.
“I am from Pakistan.”
A: آپ یہاں کب آئے؟
aap yahā̃ kab āe?
“When did you come here?”
B: میں دو دن پہلے آیا۔
maĩ do din pehle āyā.
“I came two days ago.”
Summary of Question Words in this Chapter
| Meaning | Urdu | Romanization | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| what | کیا | kya | thing or action, not a person |
| when | کب | kab | time, any tense |
| where | کہاں | kahā̃ | place or destination |
| why | کیوں | kyō̃ | reason, cause |
KEY IDEA: Urdu question words usually keep the same form in every tense. To change time, you change the verb, not the question word.
Practice: Short Question Patterns
Use these as models for your own questions. Try replacing the underlined parts with new words you know.
| English pattern | Urdu pattern (Roman) | Urdu (Script) |
|---|---|---|
| What is X? | X + kya hai? | X + کیا ہے؟ |
| When are you V‑ing? | aap kab V rahe hain? | آپ کب … رہے ہیں؟ |
| Where do you V? | aap kahā̃ Vte hain? | آپ کہاں …تے ہیں؟ |
| Why are you V‑ing? | aap kyō̃ V rahe hain? | آپ کیوں … رہے ہیں؟ |
Examples with a verb:
- aap kab khāte hain?
“When do you eat?” - aap kahā̃ kām karte hain?
“Where do you work?” - aap kyō̃ hāns rahe hain?
“Why are you laughing?”
Vocabulary List for This Chapter
| Urdu | Romanization | Part of speech | English meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| کیا | kya | question word | what |
| کب | kab | question word | when |
| کہاں | kahā̃ | question word | where |
| کیوں | kyō̃ | question word | why |
| کون | kaun | question word | who |
| یہ | yeh | pronoun | this / it |
| وہ | woh | pronoun | that / he / she / it |
| نام | nām | noun | name |
| گھر | ghar | noun | house, home |
| بازار | bāzār | noun | market |
| کتاب | kitāb | noun | book |
| آج | aaj | adverb | today |
| کل | kal | adverb | yesterday / tomorrow (from context) |
| شام | shām | noun | evening |
| پڑھنا | parhnā | verb | to read, to study |
| جانا | jānā | verb | to go |
| آنا | ānā | verb | to come |
| ہنسنا | hansnā | verb | to laugh |
| رونا | ronā | verb | to cry |
| ناراض | narāz | adjective | upset, displeased |
| غصہ | ghussā | noun | anger |
| دوست | dost | noun | friend |
| کہاں سے | kahā̃ se | phrase | from where |
| کب سے | kab se | phrase | since when |
Use these question words in small, simple sentences every day. The more you practice asking, the faster your Urdu conversation will grow.