Questions With a Question Word
Put the question word first and the verb second: Waar woon jy? (Where do you live?)
How It Works
Questions with a question word such as wat, wie, waar, wanneer, hoekom or hoe follow one pattern:
question word → verb → subject → the rest → any other verb
- Waar woon jy? (Where do you live?)
- Wat eet ons vanaand? (What are we eating tonight?)
- Wat wil jy drink? (What do you want to drink?)
This is the same verb-second rule that Afrikaans uses in all main clauses: see basic word order. Afrikaans does not add a helper like English do, so the verb right after the question word is the main verb itself.
When the question word is the subject, there is no other subject. The verb simply follows the question word: Wie praat daar? (Who is talking there?), Wat gebeur hier? (What is happening here?)
Split verbs. The small part of a separable verb stays at the end: Hoe laat staan jy op? (What time do you get up?)
Prepositions. A preposition goes in front of the question word, and the whole group comes first: Met wie praat jy? (Who are you talking to?). For things, Afrikaans joins waar and the preposition into one word: Waarmee skryf jy? (What are you writing with?). See daarmee and waarmee.
When a question sits inside a longer sentence, the verb moves to the end instead: Weet jy waar sy woon? See indirect questions.
Examples (6)
- Waar woon jy?
Where do you live?
Word by Word: Where live you?
- Wat eet ons vanaand?
What are we eating tonight?
Word by Word: What eat we tonight?
- Wat wil jy drink?
What do you want to drink?
Word by Word: What want you drink?
Wil is second, and drink goes to the end.
- Wie praat daar?
Who is talking there?
Word by Word: Who talks there?
Wie is the subject, so the verb follows it directly.
- Hoe laat staan jy op?
What time do you get up?
Word by Word: How late stand you up?
The op of opstaan stays at the end.
- Met wie praat jy?
Who are you talking to?
Word by Word: With whom talk you?
The preposition goes in front of wie.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the statement order after the question word.
Waar jy woon?Waar woon jy?In a direct question the verb comes right after the question word, before the subject.
Adding a helper for English do.
Waar doen jy werk?Waar werk jy?Afrikaans does not use doen as a helper. The main verb itself comes second.
Putting the second verb right after the first.
Wat wil drink jy?Wat wil jy drink?Only the first verb comes before the subject. Any other verb goes to the end of the question.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Questions with a question word keep the verb right after the question word.
Related Patterns
- wat/wieWhat and Who
Wat and wie are the most common question words.
Level 1 - waar/wanneerWhere and When
Waar and wanneer ask about place and time with the same word order.
Level 1 - Verb Second After a Fronted Word
The same verb-second rule applies when a statement starts with another word.
Level 2 - Indirect Questions
Inside a longer sentence, the verb of the question moves to the end.
Level 3 - daarmee/hiervoor/daaroorDaarmee, Hiervoor, Daaroor
Questions about things use waar + preposition, such as waarmee.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Questions With a Question Word in Bubblegum
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