Korean Question Words — Who, What, Where, When, Why, How

Mastering Korean question words — who, what, where, when, why, how is the single most powerful move you can make as a complete beginner. Why? Because the moment you know these seven words, you can ask about anything. You can point at a dish in a Korean restaurant and ask “What is this?” You can ask a local “Where is the subway?” Even if you only know question words and nothing else, people can fill in the blanks for you. That is real, immediate power in a new language.

Before we dive in, a quick word of reassurance: you do not need to know the Korean alphabet (called 한글 (hangeul) [HAN-geul] — “the Korean writing system”) to start learning today. Every Korean word in this lesson comes with a romanization (English spelling of the Korean sound) AND an English phonetic guide so you can pronounce everything correctly from your very first read. Think of it as training wheels — helpful right now, and something you will naturally phase out as you grow.

Korean can feel intimidating at first glance, but here is what experienced learners discover quickly: Korean is remarkably logical and consistent. Once you learn a question word, it works the same way every single time. No irregular forms, no gender changes, no conjugation chaos. Just clean, reliable patterns. Let’s unlock all seven Korean question words right now — and by the end of this lesson, you will be forming your very first real Korean questions.

The 7 Essential Korean Question Words at a Glance

Here are all seven Korean question words you need to know. Study this table carefully — these are your new best friends. Notice that each one ends in a similar rhythm, which actually makes them easier to remember as a group.

Breaking Down Each Korean Question Word

누구 — “Who”

누구 (nugu) [NOO-goo] — “Who” sounds a little like saying “new goo” very quickly. The ㄴ sound is exactly like the English “n” in “new.” The ㄱ here is a soft “g” — not as hard as the “g” in “go,” but softer, almost halfway between “g” and “k.” Practice saying it: NOO-goo. To ask “Who is this person?” you would say 이 사람은 누구예요? (i sarameun nuguyeyo?) [ee SA-ra-meun NOO-goo-yeh-yo?] — “Who is this person?”

뭐 / 무엇 — “What”

Korean gives you two versions of “what” — and both are correct. 뭐 (mwo) [mwuh] — “What (casual, spoken)” is the short, everyday version you will hear constantly in K-dramas and conversations. 무엇 (mueot) [MOO-uht] — “What (formal, written)” is the longer, more formal version used in writing or polite speech. Think of it like “what” vs. “what is it” in English — same meaning, different register. Start with 뭐. It is shorter and you will use it far more often. Example: 이게 뭐예요? (ige mwoyeyo?) [ee-GEH mwuh-YEH-yo?] — “What is this?”

어디 — “Where”

어디 (eodi) [UH-dee] — “Where” is one of the most useful Korean question words for travellers. The “eo” sound (어) does not exist in English — it is like the “u” in “up” or “uh” when you hesitate. Say “uh-dee” and you are very close. This question word pairs with the location particle 에 (e) [eh] — “at / in / to” to form natural questions. Example: 화장실이 어디예요? (hwajangsiri eodiyeyo?) [hwa-JANG-shi-ree UH-dee-yeh-yo?] — “Where is the bathroom?” — possibly the most useful sentence you will ever learn.

언제 — “When”

언제 (eonje) [UHN-jeh] — “When” has that same “uh” opening sound. The second syllable “je” rhymes with “yeh.” Together: UHN-jeh. A great memory trick: imagine someone asking “When?” with a confused “Uh… jeh?” expression. Example: 언제 와요? (eonje wayo?) [UHN-jeh WA-yo?] — “When are you coming?”

왜 — “Why”

왜 (wae) [weh] — “Why” is the shortest and arguably the most satisfying question word to say. Just one syllable: weh. It sounds almost exactly like “way” said with a slight “eh” at the end — like the English word “where” without the “r.” Example: 왜요? (waeyo?) [WEH-yo?] — “Why? / Why is that?” Adding 요 (yo) makes it polite — a rule that applies to almost everything in Korean.

어떻게 — “How”

어떻게 (eotteoke) [UH-duh-keh] — “How” is the most challenging of the seven Korean question words to pronounce, but do not let that intimidate you. Break it into three bites: UH + duh +