How to Ask Questions in Korean: Question Words and Natural Patterns

Asking questions is how conversations grow. In Korean, forming a basic question is surprisingly easy: you often keep the sentence exactly the same and simply raise your voice at the end. Add a few question words and polite patterns, and you can ask about almost anything.

Intonation does most of the work

In polite 해요체, statements and yes/no questions often look identical. The difference is the rising tone at the end.

• 커피 마셔요.

  [keopi masyeoyo]

  I drink coffee. (falling tone)

• 커피 마셔요?

  [keopi masyeoyo]

  Do you drink coffee? (rising tone)

• 배고파요?

  [baegopayo]

  Are you hungry?

This is one reason 해요체 is so convenient for learners.

Core question words

• 누구 (who) → 누가 before the subject particle
• 뭐 / 무엇 (what)
• 어디 (where)
• 언제 (when)
• 왜 (why)
• 어떻게 (how)
• 얼마 (how much)
• 몇 (how many, which number)

• 이 사람 누구예요?

  [i saram nugueyo]

  Who is this person?

• 뭐 해요?

  [mwo haeyo]

  What are you doing?

• 화장실이 어디예요?

  [hwajangsiri eodieyo]

  Where is the restroom?

• 생일이 언제예요?

  [saengiri eonjeeyo]

  When is your birthday?

• 왜 한국어를 배워요?

  [wae hangugeoreul baewoyo]

  Why are you learning Korean?

• 어떻게 가요?

  [eotteoke gayo]

  How do I get there?

• 이거 얼마예요?

  [igeo eolmaeyo]

  How much is this?

• 몇 살이에요?

  [myeot sarieyo]

  How old are you?

Word order stays the same

In English, question words move to the front. In Korean, they usually stay where the answer would go.

• 어디에 가요?

  [eodie gayo]

  Where are you going?

• 학교에 가요.

  [hakgyoe gayo]

  I'm going to school.

The answer simply replaces 어디 with 학교. This makes it easy to form both questions and answers.

Polite questions with -(으)세요

When asking about a stranger or someone older, the honorific -(으)세요 makes your question more respectful.

• 어디 가세요?

  [eodi gaseyo]

  Where are you going? (respectful)

• 뭐 드실래요?

  [mwo deusillaeyo]

  What would you like to eat or drink?

• 성함이 어떻게 되세요?

  [seonghami eotteoke doeseyo]

  May I have your name?

The phrase 어떻게 되세요 is a gentle, polite way to ask for information like names, ages, or phone numbers.

Softening with -나요 and -(으)ㄴ가요

These endings make questions sound softer and more careful, common in customer service or when asking a stranger.

• 여기서 사진 찍어도 되나요?

  [yeogiseo sajin jjigeodo doenayo]

  Is it okay to take photos here?

• 이 버스 명동에 가나요?

  [i beoseu myeongdonge ganayo]

  Does this bus go to Myeongdong?

Asking for permission

To ask "may I," use -아/어도 돼요?

• 들어가도 돼요?

  [deureogado dwaeyo]

  May I come in?

• 이거 먹어도 돼요?

  [igeo meogeodo dwaeyo]

  May I eat this?

• 창문 열어도 될까요?

  [changmun yeoreodo doelkkayo]

  Would it be okay if I opened the window?

The -(으)ㄹ까요 version sounds even more considerate.

Answering yes and no

Korean 네 and 아니요 respond to whether the question's statement is true. This makes negative questions tricky for English speakers.

• 안 추워요?

  [an chuwoyo]

  Aren't you cold?

• 네, 안 추워요.

  [ne an chuwoyo]

  Right, I'm not cold.

Here 네 means "that's correct," agreeing that you are not cold. In English you would say "No, I'm not."

Echo questions

A simple way to keep a conversation going is to repeat the key word with 요 and a rising tone. If someone says they went to Jeju, answering 제주도요? (Jeju?) shows interest and invites them to say more, just like "Oh, Jeju?" in English.

With intonation, question words, and a few polite endings, you can ask about anything. Curiosity is your best language tool, so start asking.