Question Words and Questions — Russian Grammar

A Russian yes-no question usually has exactly the same words and word order as the statement. The difference is in the intonation: the voice rises sharply on the word being asked about. In writing, only the question mark shows it.

Yes-No Questions

У тебя́ есть зонт?
U tebyá yest' zont?U tebjá jestʹ zont?
Do you have an umbrella?
Ты здесь рабо́таешь?
Ty zdes' rabótayesh'?Ty zdesʹ rabótaješʹ?
Do you work here?
Вы понима́ете по-англи́йски?
Vy ponimáyete po-anglíyski?Vy ponimájete po-anglíjski?
Do you understand English?

The Particle ли (li)

In more formal speech and in writing, the particle (li) is placed after the word being asked about, which moves to the front.

Могу́ ли я попро́бовать?
Mogú li ya popróbovat'?Mogú li ja popróbovatʹ?
May I try?

Question Words

(chtočto) - what
(kto) - who
(gde) - where
(kudá) - where to
(otkúda) - where from
(kogdá) - when
(pochemúpočemú) - why
(zachémzačém) - what for
(kak) - how
(skól'koskólʹko) - how much, how many
(kakóykakój) - which, what kind of
(cheyčej) - whose

Как вас зову́т?
Kak vas zovút?
What's your name?
Где ко́шка?
Gde kóshka?Gde kóška?
Where is the cat?
Почему́ ты опозда́л?
Pochemú ty opozdál?Počemú ty opozdál?
Why are you late?
Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?
Skól'ko éto stóit?Skólʹko éto stóit?
How much does it cost?

Question Words That Decline

(Kto) and (chtočto) have case forms: (kogó), (komú), (kem), (kom); (chegóčegó), (chemúčemú), (chemčem), (chomčom). (KakóyKakój) and (cheyčej) agree with their noun.

Чем я могу́ вам помо́чь?
Chem ya mogú vam pomóch'?Čem ja mogú vam pomóčʹ?
How can I help you?
Како́го цве́та вам нужны́ ту́фли?
Kakógo tsvéta vam nuzhný túfli?Kakógo cvéta vam nužný túfli?
What color shoes do you need?
Кака́я у вас профе́ссия?
Kakáya u vas proféssiya?Kakája u vas proféssija?
What is your profession?

Suggestions with почему́ бы не (pochemú by ne)

(Pochemú by nePočemú by ne) with the infinitive makes a suggestion: why not ...?

Почему́ бы нам не сходи́ть в рестора́н?
Pochemú by nam ne skhodít' v restorán?Počemú by nam ne sxodítʹ v restorán?
Why don't we go to a restaurant?

Answering

Yes is (da) and no is (net). A short answer usually repeats the verb.

Ты меня́ слы́шишь? Слы́шу.
Ty menyá slýshish'? Slýshu.Ty menjá slýšišʹ? Slýšu.
Can you hear me? I can.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Russian course

88 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 1. A few of them, with the words “Question Words and Questions” is about in bold:

Как ты себя чувствуешь? Хорошо или плохо?
Kak ty sebyá chúvstvuyesh'? Khoroshó íli plókho?Kak ty sebjá čúvstvuješʹ? Xorošó íli plóxo?
How are you feeling? Good or bad?
Lesson 61
Как смешно. Вы оба неправы.
Kak smeshnó. Vy óba neprávy.Kak smešnó. Vy óba neprávy.
How ridiculous. You are both wrong.
Lesson 163
Где наша дочь? - Она в школе.
Gde násha doch'? - Oná v shkóle.Gde náša dočʹ? - Oná v škóle.
Where is our daughter? - She's at school.
Lesson 242

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