Question Words

The basic formula for most questions is Question Word + Ang Phrase.

What Examples:

"What's the purpose of the tool?" — "Ano ang katuyoan sang galamiton?" (purpose = katuyoan; tool = galamiton)
"What is he cooking?" — "Ano ang ginaluto niya?" (cook = luto)
"What's your question?" — "Ano ang pamankô mo?" (question = pamankô)

Who Examples:

"Who are they?" — "Sin-o sila?"
"Who is the tall person?" — "Sin-o ang taas nga tawo?" (tall = taas; person = tawo)
"What's your name?" — "Sin-o ang ngalan mo?" (name = ngalan)

---- The appropriate way to ask for a person's name is, "Who is your name?" ----

---- You can say, "Whose is this?" using the word sin-o. Because you show possession by using sa ("The book is yours." = "Sa imo ang libro."), you can do the same thing to make a question. "Whose dog is this?" = "Kay sin-o ang idô?" ----

Where Examples:

"Where is the school?" — "Diin ang eskwelahan?" (school = eskwelahan)
"Where is Percy?" — "Diin Si Percy?"

---- You can ask where someone is from with "taga." → "Taga diin kamo?" ("Where are you all from?") ----

When Examples:

"When is the start?" — "San-o ang pagsugod?" (start = pagsugod)

---- You would ask the time by saying, "What is the hour?" which is "Ano ang oras?" ----

Which

There isn't strictly a word for "which."

In "what" questions you'll see "Ano ang..." Sometimes this is shortened to "Ano'ng...," i.e. "Ano'ng oras?" (oras = hour; "What time is it?"). This contraction can be used in place of "which." e.g. "Which book do I grab?" → "Ano'ng libro nga kuhaon ko?" (book = libro, grab/get/take = kuhâ)

For Why and How questions, you would use this format: Question Word + Sentence

Why Examples:

"Why is your book wet?" — "Ngaa basâ ang libro mo?" (wet = basâ; book = libro)
"Why is George climbing the tree?" — "Ngaa Si George nagasakâ sa kahoy?" (climb = sakâ; tree = kahoy)

How Examples:

"How are you guys going to drive to Bacolod?" — "Paano kamo magbiyahe sa Bacolod?" (drive = biyahe)
"How do I use this?" — "Paano ako maggamit sini?" (use = gamit; this = sini)
"How do we open the bag?" — "Paano buksan naton ang bag?" (open = bukas, conjugated to bukasan, shortened to buksan; bag = bag)

For How Many questions, you would often use this format: Pila ka + Sentence.

How Many Examples:

"How many flowers do you have?" — "Pila ka bilog ang imo bulak?" (flowers = bulak)
"How many socks are there?" — "Pila ka medyas ang arâ da?" (socks = medyas, there = dira, shortened to da.)

---- Bilog is a generic word for "pieces" of something. For example, if you said "I'd like some corn," the person might respond with "Pila ka bilog?" (basically meaning "how much" or "how many pieces"). ----

---- You can ask for a price by saying, "Tagpila ang [item]?" Adding "tag" to the front of "pila" basically makes it "How much for each of these?" ----

---- You can ask somebody's age by saying, "Pila ang idad mo?" (age = idad) ----

---- You can ask what number something is (i.e. "What number child are you?") with "Ikapila [item being numbered]..." ----

For questions about Measurements/Intensity, you would use: Ano ka + Adjective + Thing Being Measured.

Measurement/Intensity Examples:

"How heavy is the rock?" — "Ano ka bug-at ang bato?" (heavy = bug-at, rock = bato)
"How big is the tree?" — "Ano ka dako ang kahoy?" (big = dako, tree = kahoy)
"How interested..." — "Ano ka interasado..." (interested = interasado)

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Bala

The word "bala" is used to signify a question. However, it isn't always required.

"Who is running?" = "Sin-o ang nagadalagan?" = "Sin-o bala ang nagadalagan?"(run = dalagan)

"Bala" becomes more important in sentences that would otherwise sound like statements.

"The fish is wet." — "Basâ ang isda." (wet = basâ, fish = isda)
"Is the fish wet?" — "Basâ bala ang isda?"

"Ting Ting is a teacher." — "Maestra si Ting Ting." (teacher = maestra/maestro)
"Is Ting Ting a teacher?" — "Maestra bala si Ting Ting?"

"They have a house." — "May arâ sila sang balay." (house = balay)
"Do they have a house?" — "May arâ bala sila sang balay?"

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