Indirect content question
Indirect content questions report what someone asked or express uncertainty (e.g., 'I don't know where he is'). They use a question word and require a comma, unless the indirect question consists of only a single word.
How It Works
An indirect content question is a type of subordinate clause used to report a specific inquiry or express a lack of knowledge.
1. Common Introductory Verbs
These clauses are typically triggered by verbs of communication or cognition, such as питати (to ask), знати (to know), цікавитися (to be interested in), пояснювати (to explain), or розуміти (to understand).
2. Structure and Punctuation
The indirect question is introduced by a question word known as сполучні слова (connective words). These include хто (who), що (what), де (where), or коли (when). A comma is mandatory before the connective word. Crucially, the question mark from the original direct question is removed unless the entire sentence is a question (e.g., 'Ти знаєш, де він?').
3. Tense Preservation
Ukrainian does not use tense backshifting. If the original question was in the future, the indirect question remains in the future, even if the main verb is in the past.
Example: 'He asked when she will come' (Він запитав, коли вона прийде).
4. Case Agreement
If the question word is a pronoun (like хто or що) or an adjective (like який), it must change its case based on its grammatical function inside the indirect question. For example, if the question word is the object of the verb in the clause, it must be in the accusative case.
5. Word Order
While Ukrainian has flexible word order, indirect questions usually follow a standard subject-verb-object order after the question word, unless specific emphasis is needed.
Examples (5)
- Я не знаю, де він зараз живе.
I don't know where he lives now.
Word by Word: I not know, where he now lives.
A standard indirect question using 'де' (where). Note the mandatory comma before the question word.
- Він не пояснив, чому рішення відклали.
He did not explain why the decision was postponed.
Word by Word: He not explained, why decision [they] postponed.
The tense of the original question (past) is preserved in the indirect clause.
- Ми запитали, скільки це коштує.
We asked how much this costs.
Word by Word: We asked, how much this costs.
Even though the main verb 'запитали' is in the past, the indirect question uses the present tense 'коштує' because the price is a current fact.
- Цікаво, про що вони розмовляють.
I wonder what they are talking about.
Word by Word: Interesting, about what they talk.
The question word 'що' is in the locative case because it follows the preposition 'про'.
- Вона запитала, коли він прийде.
She asked when he would come.
Word by Word: She asked, when he will come.
Demonstrates the lack of tense backshifting; 'прийде' is in the future tense because the coming hasn't happened yet relative to the asking.
Common Mistakes
Shifting the tense backward (English-style backshifting).
Different MeaningВін запитав, де вона була.Він запитав, де вона зараз.'Він запитав, де вона була' is correct, but it asks where she was earlier. In Ukrainian the tense of the original question stays: if the question was 'Where is she?', the reported version is 'He asked where she IS'.
Omitting the comma before the question word.
Я не знаю хто це.Я не знаю, хто це.Ukrainian grammar strictly requires a comma to separate the main clause from the subordinate indirect question clause.
Using the nominative case for the question word when it should be in an oblique case.
Він не сказав, хто він бачив.Він не сказав, кого він бачив.The question word must agree with its role inside the subordinate clause. If it is the object of the verb, it must be in the accusative case (кого) rather than the nominative (хто).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To form indirect content questions, a learner needs to be familiar with Ukrainian interrogative pronouns (question words) and the structure of complex sentences where a subordinate clause functions as an object. Unlike direct questions, indirect questions maintain standard declarative word order.
- хтоQuestion Word Хто
Learners must know basic question words like 'хто' (who), 'що' (what), 'чому' (why), etc., as these serve as the connectors in indirect content questions.
Level 1 - що (з'ясувальне)Content Clauses with Що
Understanding how to form basic content clauses (using 'що') is a necessary step before using question words to link subordinate clauses.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- чи (непряме питання)Indirect Yes-no Question with Чи
This is the counterpart for yes/no questions, using the particle 'чи' instead of a question word.
Level 5 - Indirect speech with що and no tense backshift
Explains the general rule for reporting speech in Ukrainian, which also avoids tense backshifting.
Level 5 - який (відносний)Relative Clauses with Який
Uses similar words but functions to describe a noun rather than reporting a question.
Level 3 - який (питальний)Interrogative Який Agreement
Explains how the word 'який' must agree in gender, number, and case, which is vital when it starts an indirect question.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Indirect content question in Bubblegum
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