Ask what and who
已接触A book or a person?
- 这是what什么？ Zhè shì shénme? — What is this?
- this这to be / is是who谁？ Zhè shì shéi? — Who is this? this这 zhè means this; who谁 asks about a person.
Keep the information slot
- Compare this这to be / is是book书。 — This is a book. with 这是what什么？ — What is this? what什么 replaces the information you want.
- Compare she / her她to be / is是teacher老师。 with who谁to be / is是teacher老师？ — Who is a teacher? Here who谁 replaces the person, so it is already at the front.
Complete “Who is this?”: 这是____？
谁 asks for a person.
Give the requested information
- 这是what什么？ → this这to be / is是book书。 Zhè shì shū. this这to be / is是who谁？ → 这是林安。 Zhè shì Lín Ān.
- A name question needs a name; a what-question needs the thing. Replying to be / is是 alone does not supply that information.
A: this这to be / is是who谁？ B: 这是林安。A: she / her她to be / is是teacher老师(yes/no ?)吗？ B: no不是，she / her她to be / is是student学生。 — Who is this? This is Lin An. Is she a teacher? No, she is a student.
Someone points at a book and asks 这是什么？ Reply:
这是书 supplies the thing requested: a book.
Match each question to a fitting answer.
Each answer supplies the information requested by the question.
Find the question word
- Play and decide whether the speaker asks about a person or thing.
- who谁 can be read shéi or shuí; this course uses shéi in the examples. what什么 shénme has a second-tone first syllable and a light second syllable.
Do not move a question word solely to imitate English word order. It occupies the information slot in these patterns. That slot can itself be at the start, as in who谁to be / is是teacher老师？
What does the speaker want?
谁 asks who the person is.
A Chinese question word can be at the beginning if that is the information slot.
谁是老师？ asks which person is a teacher; 谁 replaces the subject.
Ask about your surroundings
- Point to a book and ask 这是what什么？ Answer this这to be / is是book书。 Ask about a pictured classmate with this这to be / is是who谁？
- Mix these with the name and identity questions you already know. Choose the question for the information you actually want.
what什么 asks what; who谁 asks who. Keep the question word in the information slot, and answer with the missing information.
Build “Who is a teacher?”
The person slot is first: 谁是老师？.