Grammar

GuideWhat
Question Word -
Question words are used to ask direct and indirect questions. On this grammar
guide, we’ll focus on the question word what, which is used to ask general
questions.
In most cases, the structure of direct and indirect questions follows this pattern:

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

Direct and Indirect Questions

What is your favorite color?

Qual é a sua cor favorita?
(Direct Question: Question Word + Interrogative Form)

Tell me what your favorite color is.

Diga-me qual é a sua cor favorita.
(Indirect Question: Question Word + Affirmative Form)

But when we ask direct questions with the question word what, there are three
possible structures.

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

Structure – Direct Questions

1. What + Interrogative Form

2. What + Verb in the Third Person Singular + Complement

3. What + Noun + Interrogative Form

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 Question Word - What
Let’s analyze each structure, starting with the first one, which is the question
word what followed by an interrogative form. This structure can be used with
any verb form.
Let’s see some examples:

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

What + Interrogative Form

What does she want for breakfast?

O que ela quer de café da manhã?

(Simple Present: Question Word + Auxiliary Verb + Subject +

Main Verb in its Base Form+ Complement)

What did you do yesterday?

O que você fez ontem?

(Simple Past: Question Word + Auxiliary Verb + Subject +

Main Verb in its Base Form + Complement)

What were you doing last week?

O que você estava fazendo semana passada?

(Past Continuous: Question Word + Auxiliary Verb + Subject +

Main Verb in the –ING Form + Complement)

What have you been doing lately?

O que você tem feito ultimamente?

(Present Perfect: Question Word + 1st Auxiliary + Subject + 2nd Auxiliary +

Main verb in the –ING Form + Complement)

What would you do with a million dollars?

O que você faria com um milhão de dólares?

(Simple Present: Question Word + Modal Verb + Subject +

Main Verb in its Base Form + Complement)

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 Question Word - What

It is important to notice that the structure what + interrogative form will never be used for
questions about the subject of the sentence. When we follow this structure, it means that the
subject is included in the given question.
Let’s take a closer look:

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

What + Interrogative Form

What does she want for breakfast?

O que ela quer de café da manhã?

She wants eggs and toast.

Ela quer ovos e torradas.

(The question is not about who performs the action, but about what the person
wants. The subject “she” is part of the question. The core answer is “eggs and toast.”)
(Não tem relação com o sujeito, mas com o que o sujeito quer fazer.
O sujeito “ela” é parte da pergunta. A resposta central é “ovos e torradas”.)

What were you doing last week?

O que você estava fazendo semana passada?

I was traveling.
Eu estava viajando.

(It’s not about who was performing the action, but what the person was doing.
The subject “you,” which is part of the question, becomes “I” in the answer.
And the core answer is “traveling.”)
(Não tem relação com quem estava fazendo a ação, mas com o que a pessoa estava
fazendo. O sujeito “você”, que é parte da pergunta, vira “eu” na resposta.
A resposta central é “viajando”.)

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 Question Word - What
But it is possible to ask questions with the question word what to learn about the subject of a sentence.
In such cases, we will use the structure: What + Verb in The Third Person Singular + Complement.
Check the following examples:

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

What + Verb in Third Person Singular + (Complement)

What makes you happy? Spending time with my family makes me happy.
O que deixa você feliz? Passar tempo com a minha família me deixa feliz.

(The core answer is “spending time with my family,” which is the subject of the answer and is not
part of the question. That is why the verb in question is in the third person singular “makes.”)
(A resposta central é “passar tempo com a minha família”, que é o sujeito da resposta e não faz parte da
pergunta. Por isso o verbo da pergunta está na terceira pessoa do singular “makes”, deixa.)

There are so many people here. What’s happening?

Tem tanta gente aqui. O que está acontecendo?

A music festival (is happening here).

Um festival de música (está acontecendo aqui).

(The core answer is “a music festival,” which is the subject of the answer and is not part
of the question. That is why the verb in question is in the third person singular “is.”)
(A resposta central é “um festival de música”, que é o sujeito da resposta e não faz parte
da pergunta. Por isso o verbo da pergunta está na terceira pessoa do singular “is”, está.)

What’s bothering them?

O que está incomodando eles?

Not having money to pay their bills (is bothering them).

Não ter dinheiro para pagar as suas contas (está incomodando eles).

(The core answer is “not having money to pay their bills,” which is the subject of the answer and is
not part of the question. That is why the verb in question is in the third person singular “is.”)
(A resposta central é “não ter dinheiro para pagar suas contas”, que é o sujeito da resposta e não faz
parte da pergunta. Por isso o verbo da pergunta está na terceira pessoa do singular “is”, está.)

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 Question Word - What
Let’s take a closer look and analyze the structure of the examples
we have previously seen.

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

(1) (2) (3)

What + Verb in the Third Person Singular + Complement (if necessary)

(1) (2) (3)

What makes you happy?

(1) (2)
What’s happening?

(1) (2) (3)

What’s bothering them?

If you want to ask a more specific question using what, place a noun right after
the question word.

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

What + Noun + Interrogative Form

What time do you usually wake up?

A que horas você geralmente acorda?
(What + time = used to ask about the hour)

What kind of music do you like?

De que tipo de música você gosta?
(What + kind = used to ask about the specific type of a thing)

What size do you need?

De que tamanho você precisa?
(What + size = used to ask about size)

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 Question Word - What
There are still some special cases, such as what + about. It is used
to make an offer or to ask about your opinion or how you feel about
something.

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

Special Cases – What About

What about going to the movies?

Que tal irmos ao cinema?

Great idea.
Ótima ideia.

How are you?

Como vai você?

I’m fine, thanks. What about you?

Eu estou bem. E você?

In informal conversations, there are some common

expressions with the question word what.

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

Expressions

What’s up?
E aí?

What now?
O que agora?

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 Question Word - What
The question word what can also be used in exclamations to express surprise,
shock, or emotions. In this case, we use: what + an article + (an adjective) + a
noun. We may or may not include the adjective, but the noun must always be
there in exclamations with what.

QUESTION WORD – WHAT

Exclamations

Structure: What + Article + (Adjective) + Noun

What a (beautiful) place!

Que lugar (bonito)!
(What + Article “a” + (Adjective “beautiful”) + Noun “place”)

What a great song!

Que música ótima!
(What + Article “a” + Adjective “great” + Noun “song”)

What a (nice) gesture!

Que gesto (legal)!
(What + Article “a” + (Adjective “nice”) + Noun “gesture)

What a song!
Que música!
(What + Article “a” + Noun “song”)

Now you know different ways in which you can use the question word what, the structure used
with different verb forms, as well as how to use it in exclamations and expressions.

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