מתי / איך / למה

When How and Why

Level 1

מתי means when, איך means how, and למה means why. Put the question word before a basic statement without inserting English do.

How It Works

Keep the Sentence

Use the same subject and agreeing verb after the question word: אתם באים becomes מתי אתם באים? A negative remains before its predicate in למה היא לא באה?

How Can Ask About a State

איך אתה? asks how a male addressee is doing. איך קוראים לך? asks a person’s name, literally how people call you. Learn this as an ordinary whole question rather than translating each English word.

Reason and Purpose

למה often asks why. Depending on context, an answer can give a cause or a goal. More explicit questions such as בשביל מה, what for, can focus on purpose. Time, method and reason require different answers, not merely different question words.

Examples (4)

  1. מתי אתם באים?

    When are you coming?

    The plural verb matches the addressees.

  2. איך אתה מגיע?

    How are you getting here?

    איך asks about the way of arriving.

  3. למה היא לא באה?

    Why is she not coming?

    לא keeps its position before the verb.

  4. איך קוראים לך?

    What is your name?

    This is a common whole question about a name.