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Master essential Italian question words like "Che?" (What?), "Chi?" (Who?), "Quando?" (When?), "Dove?" (Where?), and "Perché?" (Why?) to form clear, everyday questions and improve your conversational skills.
  1. Some interrogative words agree with the gender and/or number of the noun.
Interrogativo (Interrogative)Esempio (Example)
Che?Che ingrediente vuoi? (Which ingredient do you want?)
Quale? /Quali?

Quale tè preferisci? (Which tea do you prefer?)

Quali spezie usi? (Which spices do you use?)

Chi?Chi cucina oggi? (Who is cooking today?)
Che cosa?Che cosa mangi a cena? (What do you eat for dinner?)
Quando?Quando ti svegli per fare colazione? (When do you wake up to have breakfast?)
Dove?Dove vai dopo cena? (Where are you going after dinner?)
Come?Come si fa la pizza? (How do you make pizza?)
Perché?Perché cucini con il burro? (Why do you cook with butter?)
Come mai?Come mai sei in ritardo? (How come are you late?)
Quanto/a? / Quanti/e?

Quanta farina serve per la ricetta? (How much flour do you need for the recipe?)

Per quante persone cuciniamo? (For how many people are we cooking?)

Exercise 1: Gli interrogativi

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Come mai, quali, Quale, Che cosa, Quanto, Quando, Chi

1.
... fai oggi pomeriggio?
(Che cosa fai oggi pomeriggio?)
2.
... ha cucinato questa torta?
(Chi ha cucinato questa torta?)
3.
... risposta è corretta tra queste due?
(Quale risposta è corretta tra queste due?)
4.
Sai ... ingredienti servono per cucinare?
(Sai quali ingredienti servono per cucinare?)
5.
... sei in ritardo?
(Come mai sei in ritardo?)
6.
... non hai ancora ripetuto la risposta?
(Come mai non hai ancora ripetuto la risposta?)
7.
... inizia la lezione di italiano?
(Quando inizia la lezione di italiano?)
8.
... zucchero devo mettere nel dolce?
(Quanto zucchero devo mettere nel dolce?)

Exercise 2: Dialogue completion

Instruction: Complete the dialogue with the correct solution

1. _______ giorno preferisci per la riunione?

( _______ day do you prefer for the meeting?)

2. _______ inizi a lavorare domani?

( _______ do you start working tomorrow?)

3. _______ partecipa alla riunione internazionale?

( _______ participates in the international meeting?)

4. _______ ricevi i documenti di lavoro?

( _______ do you receive the work documents?)

5. _______ persone lavorano a questo progetto?

( _______ people work on this project?)

6. _______ usi questo programma per organizzare il lavoro?

( _______ do you use this program to organize the work?)

Introduction to Italian Interrogatives

This lesson focuses on Italian interrogatives, essential words and expressions used to ask questions. Learning these forms will enable you to form basic inquiries in everyday situations, improving your speaking and comprehension skills.

What Are Interrogatives?

Interrogatives are question words used to request information. In Italian, these words vary depending on what kind of information is asked, such as people, things, time, place, reason, or manner.

Key Interrogative Words and Examples

  • Che? - Used to ask "What?" For example: Che ingrediente vuoi?
  • Quale? / Quali? - Meaning "Which?" and changing depending on singular or plural form. Examples: Quale tè preferisci? / Quali spezie usi?
  • Chi? - Meaning "Who?" Example: Chi cucina oggi?
  • Che cosa? - An alternative to "Che?" used for "What?" Example: Che cosa mangi a cena?
  • Quando? - Asking "When?" Example: Quando ti svegli per fare colazione?
  • Dove? - Asking "Where?" Example: Dove vai dopo cena?
  • Come? - Asking "How?" Example: Come si fa la pizza?
  • Perché? - Asking "Why?" Example: Perché cucini con il burro?
  • Come mai? - Another form of "Why?" or "How come?" Example: Come mai sei in ritardo?
  • Quanto/a? / Quanti/e? - Used for "How much?" or "How many?" and agreeing with the gender and number of the noun. Examples: Quanta farina serve per la ricetta? / Per quante persone cuciniamo?

Agreement in Gender and Number

Note that some interrogatives like "Quale" and "Quanto" change their form to agree with the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun they refer to. For example, "Quale tè" (singular) vs. "Quali spezie" (plural).

Differences Between English and Italian Question Words

While English question words do not change form to agree with gender or number, Italian interrogatives often do. For instance, English uses "Which" universally, whereas Italian changes between "Quale" (singular) and "Quali" (plural). Also, phrases like "Come mai?" translate to "How come?" which is a casual way to ask "Why?" English does not have direct gender agreement which is important to remember when forming questions in Italian.

Useful Additional Phrases

  • Come si fa...? - How do you make...?
  • Quanto costa? - How much does it cost?
  • Perché no? - Why not?

Mastering these interrogatives will greatly enhance your ability to ask clear and accurate questions in Italian, providing a strong foundation for more complex conversations.

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 11:33