Penang Hokkien Question Words

The following are the question words in Penang Hokkien:

what: ha1mik1
who: cui33-cui33
whose: cui33-cui33 lang2-eh2
where: ta1lok1
which: ta1lok1 cit3 leh2* (often shortened to "tok1 cit3 leh2*" )
why: ha1mik1 su33
how: an1cnua4 , an1cnua1nyau3
when: ki33si2 , ti33si2

* Ta1lok1 cit3 leh2 and tok1 cit3 leh2 always appear with a classifier, which is hyphenated to the numeral in the presence of a noun, for example tok1 cit3-khien1 lang2, "which man", ta1lok1 cit3-pun1 chaek3, "which book", etc. The classifier is sandhied where a noun is present.

The word ha1mik1 can be used as a standalone question work (Cit1-leh1 si33 ha1mik1?) as well as an adjective to a noun (Cit1-leh1 si33 ha1mik1 mi3knia3?). Note that ha1mik1 never sandhis even when it is used in the position of adjective (ha1mik1 su33, ha1mik1 mi3knia3, ha1mik1 lang2, etc.)

Unlike English, the word order is not inverted when the question word replaces the antecedent. That means, if the question word replaces an object, it takes over the location of the antecedent without changing the word order. (In comparison, the word order is often inverted in English so that the question word is placed in front.) Depending on the question, the question word can be used to replace the subject, object, verb, adjective and other parts of speech.

Note the location of the question word (which I have underlined) when the sentence is translated from English to Penang Hokkien. The indefinite article ("a" and "an") are often dropped in Penang Hokkien.

Due to a mix of dialectial elements from Amoy, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, some people pronounce "when" in Penang Hokkien as ki33si2 and some as ti33si2.

Set 1

This is (a) book.
Cit1-leh1 si33 chaek3.

What is this?
Cit1-leh1 si33 ha1mik1? (Not "Ha1mik1 si33 cit1-leh1?")

Set 2

This man is (a) teacher.
Cit1-khien1 lang2 si33 sin3snaeh1.

What is this man?
Cit1-khien1 lang2 si33 ha1mik1?

Set 3

This man is my teacher.
Cit1-khien1 lang2 si33 wah1-eh3 sin3snaeh1.

Who is this man?
Cit1-khien1 lang2 si33 cui33-cui33?

Which man is your teacher?
Tok1 cit3-khien1 lang2 si33 lu1-eh3 sin3snaeh1?

Which is your teacher?
Tok1 cit3 khien4 si33 lu1-eh3 sin3snaeh1?

Whose teacher is this man?
Cit1-khien1 lang2 si33 cui33-cui33 lang2-eh3 sin3snaeh1?

Set 4

I am waiting here for the bus.
Wah1 tan1 bas1 ti1 cit1-peng2.

Why are you waiting here?
Ha1mik1 su33 lu1 tan4 ti1 cit1-peng2?

What are you waiting here for?
Lu1 tan1 ha1mik1 ti1 cit1-peng2?

Set 5

I don't know how to do this work.
Wah1 be33hiau1 co3 cit1-leh1 kang1.

How to do this work?
An1cnua1 co3 cit1-leh1 kang1? / An1cnua1nyau3 co3 cit1-leh1 kang1?

Who doesn't know how to do this work?
Cui33-cui33 be33hiau1 co3 cit1-leh1 kang1? / Cui33-cui33 lang2 be33hiau1 co33 cit1-leh1 kang1?

Which work do you not know how to do?
Tok1 cit3-leh3 kang1 lu1 be33hiau1 co3? / Lu1 be33hiau1 co3 tok1 cit3-leh3 kang1?

Set 6

I am telling a story.
Wah1 kong1 kor1su33.

What are you saying?
Lu1 kong1 ha1mik1?

What story are you telling?
Lu1 kong1 ha1mik1 kor1su33?

Set 7

I am sweeping the floor with his broom.
Wah1 sau1 thor3kha1 yong33 ie1-eh3 sau1chiu4.

What are you sweeping with his broom?
Lu1 sau1 ha1mik1 yong33 ie1-eh3 sau1chiu4?

With what are you sweeping the floor?
Lu1 yong33 ha1mik1 sau1 thor3kha1?

Who is sweeping the floor with his broom?
Cui33-cui33 sau1 thor3kha1 yong33 ie1-eh3 sau1chiu4?

What are you doing with his broom?
Lu1 co1 ha1mik1 ka1 ie1-eh3 sau1chiu4?

Set 8

The train is coming at five o'clock.
Hoay1chia1 gor33 tiam4 lai2.


When is the train coming?
Ki33si2 hoay1chia1 lai2?

At what time is the train coming?
Kui1 tiam4 hoay1chia1 lai2

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