מי / מה

Who and What

Level 1

מי means who, and מה means what. Basic questions can put either word first without an extra English-style do or does.

How It Works

Ask About the Subject

מי בא? asks who is coming. It does not require a second subject pronoun.

Ask About the Object

מה את קוראת? keeps את as the subject and asks about the thing read. Do not switch את to a different form just because the question begins with מה.

Short Identifying Questions

מי זה? and מה זה? ask who or what something is. These questions have no inserted present is. A question involving a preposition can use עם מי, with whom, or על מה, about what; learn the preposition with the relationship.

Examples (4)

  1. מי בא?

    Who is coming?

    מי asks about the subject.

  2. מה את קוראת?

    What are you reading?

    The female addressee remains the subject.

  3. מי זה?

    Who is this?

    The question identifies a person.

  4. עם מי אתה מדבר?

    Who are you talking with?

    עם belongs to the talking-with relationship.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

מי / מהLevel 1Who and What

Learn This First

Ask about a person or thing in an otherwise familiar clause.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.