How to ask questions: Italian grammar lesson 10

Summary

Unlock the secrets of Italian conversation! This guide breaks down the simplicity of forming questions in Italian, from using the right intonation to mastering essential question words. Perfect for beginners eager to chat like a local!

  • Keep it simple: No need to flip your sentence structure—just add a question mark and adjust your tone to turn a statement into a question in Italian. 😊
  • Question words are key: Words like Chi? (Who?) and Cosa? (What?) are your golden tickets to asking specific questions. Memorize these for a smoother conversation!
  • Intonation matters: Remember, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Italian questions rely heavily on the lift of your voice at the end. Practice makes perfect!
  • Subject placement: When using question words, the subject usually comes at the end. So, it’s Quando arriva Matteo? not “Matteo quando arriva?”
  • AI Tutors: Stuck without a speaking partner? An Italian AI tutor can be a game-changer, offering real-time feedback and helping you polish both your written and spoken Italian.

My thoughts

How to ask questions

Asking questions in Italian is pretty simple. You just need a question mark at the end and the right intonation, which you’ll get with practice.

If you want to ask specific questions, there are some question words you’ll need, and you’ll find in this lesson.

Let’s now learn how to ask questions in Italian.

Simple questions

While in English, you have to change the order of the sentence, in Italian, you can just take a statement and turn it into a question without changing the order of the sentence.

Let’s have a look at some examples:

Tu sei Laura. –> Tu sei Laura?

You’re Laura. –> Are you Laura?

Hanno vent’anni. –> Hanno vent’anni?

They are twenty years old. –> Are they twenty years old?

Vai a Roma. –> Vai a Roma?

You’re going to Rome. –> Are you going to Rome?

Lavorano da casa. –> Lavorano da casa?

They work from home. –> Do they work from home?

Studi ancora francese. –> Studi ancora francese?

You’re still studying French. –> Are you still studying French?

Question words

There are some question words that you’ll definitely need if you want to ask a specific question.

Have a look at them:

  • Chi? (Who? Whom?)
  • Cosa? (What?)
  • Quando? (When?)
  • Dove? (Where?)
  • Perché? (Why?)
  • Come? (How?)
  • Quale/Quali? (Which?)
  • Quanto/Quanta/Quanti/Quante? (How much?/How many?)

Questions words: examples

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Let’s have a look at some examples:

Chi viene stasera?

Who’s coming tonight?

Cosa vuoi?

What do you want?

Quando vai a casa?

When are you going home?

Dove andiamo?

Where are we going?

Perché non mangi?

Why aren’t you eating?

Come stai?

How are you?

Quale preferisci?

Which one do you prefer?

Quanto costa?

How much is it?

Just so you know, in questions beginning with a question word, when you want to mention the subject, this is placed at the end of the sentence. Here are two examples:

Quando arriva Matteo?

When does Matteo arrive?

Dove andate voi?

Where are you going?

Practice with Quizlet

Here's a set of flashcards and quizzes to practice this grammar topic.

How to Improve Your Speaking if You Don’t Have a Speaking Partner?

Are you struggling to improve Italian-speaking skills, because you don’t have a conversation partner?

Or, your Italian friends are fantastic to hang out, but they don’t correct you as often as you’d like. If that’s the case, you can get an Italian AI tutor, powered by GPT technology, and engage in unlimited, beginner, intermediate or advanced conversations, based on your level, through both text or speech.

While you chat, you get instant feedback on your errors. Plus, you can switch between Italian and English at any time. Not only you’ll be improving your written skills, grammar and vocabulary, but spoken skills and pronunciation as well. If you want to learn Italian with an AI Tutor, you can start by testing the app for free.

How do you politely ask for something in Italian?

Per favore is a formal way to request a favor or additional help. Other Italian words for "please" include "per piacere," "per cortesia," "cortesemente," "gentilmente," and "ti prego."

How do you form a question in Italian?

In Italian you can change a simple sentence into a question without changing the order of the sentence.

What are question words in Italian?

When you need more specific information than a simple yes or no, such as an indication, a time, a price, a reason, etc., you can ask with the help of question words in Italian.

Italian word of the day
bottiglie
Example
Colleziono bottiglie. Non sai proprio cosa fare, eh?
I collect bottles. You just don’t know what to do, huh?
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