Question Words

1. Naon?

   What?

   Usage

   Ask about something you do not know

   Grammar Note

   Question words stay in place instead of moving to the front (Ieu naon?)

2. Di mana?

   Where?

   Usage

   Ask about a place

   Grammar Note

   "To where" is ka mana and "from where" is ti mana

3. Iraha?

   When?

   Usage

   Ask about a time

   Grammar Note

   Works for past and future; add a verb as in Iraha angkat? (when do you leave?)

4. Saha?

   Who?

   Usage

   Ask about a person

   Grammar Note

   Used as in Saha nami anjeun? (what is your name?)

5. Kunaon?

   Why?

   Usage

   Ask for a reason or what happened

   Grammar Note

   Also means "what happened?"; a sentence starting with naha can ask for a reason too

6. Kumaha?

   How?

   Usage

   Ask about a way of doing something or a condition

   Grammar Note

   Add a noun, as in Kumaha caranana? (how is it done?)

7. Sabaraha?

   How many? / How much?

   Usage

   Ask about a number or an amount

   Grammar Note

   Not the same as sababaraha ("several")

8. Sabaraha hargana?

   How much is it?

   Usage

   The basic shopping question about price

   Grammar Note

   Harga (price) + -na (its); pointing and saying Ieu sabaraha? also works

9. Nu mana?

   Which one?

   Usage

   Ask which of several things

   Grammar Note

   Anu mana is a variant spelling

10. Ieu naon?

    What is this?

    Usage

    Ask about an unfamiliar object or dish

    Grammar Note

    Sundanese has no word for "is"; putting ieu and naon side by side makes the sentence

11. Di mana toilétna?

    Where is the toilet?

    Usage

    A question you will certainly need

    Grammar Note

    Toilét (toilet) + -na (the); the euphemism pacilingan also exists

12. Ayeuna jam sabaraha?

    What time is it?

    Usage

    Ask for the time

    Grammar Note

    The answer is jam plus a number, as in Jam tilu (three o'clock)

13. Aya?

    Do you have it?

    Usage

    Ask in a shop whether something is available

    Grammar Note

    Aya means "there is"; answer Aya or Teu aya (there isn't)

14. Tiasa?

    Can you do it?

    Usage

    Check whether something can be done

    Grammar Note

    Tiasa is the polite form of bisa ("can")

15. Kedah mayar?

    Is there a charge?

    Usage

    Ask whether entry or use costs money

    Grammar Note

    Literally "must one pay?"; answer Kedah or Teu kedah

16. Ieu gratis?

    Is it free?

    Usage

    Check whether something is free

    Grammar Note

    Gratis is a loan from Indonesian

17. Ieu kénging?

    Is this allowed?

    Usage

    Check whether you may touch, photograph or enter

    Grammar Note

    Kénging is the polite "may"; the plain form is meunang

18. Teu kénging?

    Is it not allowed?

    Usage

    Check whether something is forbidden

    Grammar Note

    Teu goes in front of kénging to negate it

19. Anjeun damang?

    Are you OK?

    Usage

    Check on someone who looks unwell

    Grammar Note

    Damang is used only for the other person's health, not your own

20. Leres?

    Really?

    Usage

    A reaction when surprised or wanting confirmation

    Grammar Note

    Leres means "correct" politely; said as a question it means "really?"

21. Anjeun yakin?

    Are you sure?

    Usage

    Ask whether the other person is certain

    Grammar Note

    Yakin is a loan of Indonesian origin

22. Anjeun ti mana?

    Where are you from?

    Usage

    Ask where someone comes from

    Grammar Note

    Write ti separately; answer with Abdi ti Jepang (I am from Japan)

23. Saha nami anjeun?

    What is your name?

    Usage

    Ask someone's name when you meet

    Grammar Note

    Nami is the polite word for ngaran; with elders Bapa or Ibu can replace anjeun

24. Ka mana?

    Where to?

    Usage

    Ask about a destination

    Grammar Note

    Write ka separately; answer with ka plus a place, as in Ka stasion (to the station)

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