englishtohindi

Hindi question words: 7 phrases with pronunciation

Hindi does not reorder a sentence to ask a question. The question word takes the slot the answer would occupy, and everything else stays put, so आप कहाँ रहते हैं maps onto you where live. क्या is the exception worth knowing: at the front of a sentence it turns a statement into a yes/no question, and in the middle it means what.

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“What is your name?” in Hindi

आपका नाम क्या है?

Aapka naam kya hai?

“What is your name?” in Hindi is आपका नाम क्या है?, pronounced Aapka naam kya hai?. Use तुम्हारा नाम क्या है with someone your own age or younger. आपका is the safe default with strangers.

Example sentences

  • Hello, what is your name?

    नमस्ते, आपका नाम क्या है?

    Namaste, aapka naam kya hai?

  • My name is Rahul.

    मेरा नाम राहुल है।

    Mera naam Rahul hai.

“Where are you from?” in Hindi

आप कहाँ से हैं?

Aap kahan se hain?

“Where are you from?” in Hindi is आप कहाँ से हैं?, pronounced Aap kahan se hain?. Very common opener. The answer usually names a state or city: मैं दिल्ली से हूँ (main Dilli se hoon).

Example sentences

  • Where are you from?

    आप कहाँ से हैं?

    Aap kahan se hain?

  • I'm from Rajasthan.

    मैं राजस्थान से हूँ।

    Main Rajasthan se hoon.

“What is this?” in Hindi

यह क्या है?

Yeh kya hai?

“What is this?” in Hindi is यह क्या है?, pronounced Yeh kya hai?. यह for something near you, वह (voh) for something further away — Hindi distinguishes the two where English uses this and that.

Example sentences

  • What is this? I've never seen it.

    यह क्या है? मैंने कभी नहीं देखा।

    Yeh kya hai? Maine kabhi nahi dekha.

  • What is that over there?

    वह क्या है वहाँ?

    Voh kya hai wahan?

“What time is it?” in Hindi

कितने बजे हैं?

Kitne baje hain?

“What time is it?” in Hindi is कितने बजे हैं?, pronounced Kitne baje hain?. Literally "how many have struck". To ask when something happens, use कब (kab) instead: यह कब होगा.

Example sentences

  • Excuse me, what time is it?

    सुनिए, कितने बजे हैं?

    Suniye, kitne baje hain?

  • It's four o'clock.

    चार बजे हैं।

    Chaar baje hain.

“Why?” in Hindi

क्यों?

Kyon?

“Why?” in Hindi is क्यों?, pronounced Kyon?. On its own क्यों can sound blunt or challenging. Softening it to ऐसा क्यों (aisa kyon — why so) is friendlier.

Example sentences

  • Why did you do that?

    तुमने ऐसा क्यों किया?

    Tumne aisa kyon kiya?

  • Why not? Let's go.

    क्यों नहीं? चलो चलते हैं।

    Kyon nahi? Chalo chalte hain.

“Can you help me?” in Hindi

क्या आप मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं?

Kya aap meri madad kar sakte hain?

“Can you help me?” in Hindi is क्या आप मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं?, pronounced Kya aap meri madad kar sakte hain?. सकते हैं is the ability form — "are you able to". Use सकती हैं when asking a woman.

Example sentences

  • Can you help me with this?

    क्या आप इसमें मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं?

    Kya aap ismein meri madad kar sakte hain?

  • Can you please help me? (asking a woman)

    क्या आप मेरी मदद कर सकती हैं?

    Kya aap meri madad kar sakti hain?

“How old are you?” in Hindi

आपकी उम्र क्या है?

Aapki umar kya hai?

“How old are you?” in Hindi is आपकी उम्र क्या है?, pronounced Aapki umar kya hai?. उम्र is feminine, hence आपकी. Asking an adult directly can be considered impolite in some settings, much as in English.

Example sentences

  • How old are you?

    आपकी उम्र क्या है?

    Aapki umar kya hai?

  • I am twenty-five years old.

    मैं पच्चीस साल का हूँ।

    Main pachchees saal ka hoon.

The grammar behind these phrases