Interrogative Pronouns

In this lesson, we will learn how to use interrogative pronouns to ask questions about people, things, and choices. The interrogative pronouns we will cover are chi (who), che cosa or cosa (what), and quale (which).

Chi (Who)

The interrogative pronoun chi is used to ask questions about a person or people. Here are some examples:

• Chi è? (Who is it?)
• Chi sono quegli studenti? (Who are those students?)
• Con chi parli al telefono? (Who are you talking to on the phone?)

Che cosa / Cosa (What)

The interrogative pronoun che cosa or simply cosa is used to ask questions about things or actions. Here are some examples:

• Che cosa fai? (What are you doing?)
• Cosa è successo? (What happened?)
• Di che cosa hai bisogno? (What do you need?)

Quale (Which)

The interrogative pronoun quale is used to ask questions about choices or options. In English, we often use "which" to translate quale. Here are some examples:

• Quale preferisci? (Which one do you prefer?)
• Quale è la tua macchina? (Which one is your car?)
• Quale libro vuoi leggere? (Which book do you want to read?)

How to Use Interrogative Pronouns

When using interrogative pronouns, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Placement: Interrogative pronouns usually come at the beginning of the question.

   • Chi è quella persona? (Who is that person?)
   • Che cosa fai domani? (What are you doing tomorrow?)
   • Quale preferisci, il rosso o il blu? (Which one do you prefer, red or blue?)

2. Use with Verbs: Interrogative pronouns are often used in conjunction with verbs to form questions.

   • Che cosa stai facendo? (What are you doing?)
   • Quale libro leggi? (Which book are you reading?)

3. Agreement: When using quale with masculine or feminine nouns, it needs to agree in gender and number.

   • Quale cane preferisci? (Which dog do you prefer?)
   • Quali macchine guidi? (Which cars do you drive?)

That's it! You now know how to use interrogative pronouns chi, che cosa or cosa, and quale to ask questions about people, things, and choices. Practice using them in conversations to improve your language skills.