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Mandarin Question Words — 疑问词

Seventh graders learn Mandarin question words — 谁 (shéi), 什么 (shénme), 哪里 (nǎlǐ), 什么时候 (shénme shíhou), 为什么 (wèishénme) — the keys to asking real questions.

Grade 7Yíwèncí50 minutes1 class periodACTFL / CommunicativeExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name question words.
  • ✓Ask questions.
  • ✓Match words to meanings.
  • ✓Have a conversation.
Essential Question

Who? What? Where? Question words unlock conversation. What are they in Mandarin?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Question Word

Project this and match each Mandarin question word to its English meaning — tap the Mandarin, then tap the English.

❓ Match each question word to its meaningTry it
中文 Mandarin
English
Now tap the English!
The Lesson · Communicative Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Who? What? Where?

5 min

Question words unlock conversation — what are they in Mandarin?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask a question in English.
  • Ask how to say the word.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Ask.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Yíwèncí

12 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present each question word.
  • Say the pinyin.
  • Use in a question.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Repeat.
  • Use it.
3

Practice — Match Them

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Question Word.
  • Match each one.
  • Ask a question.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Ask.
  • Explain.
4

Speak — Speak

12 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask “你去哪里?”
  • Ask “你做什么?”
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Ask it.
  • Ask it.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a question word.
  • Say what it means.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Novice-High).

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: ask questions.

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand questions.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare question words.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to conversation.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Question-word cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ = ___.”
  • Model questions.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with 谁 and 什么.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add 怎么 (how).
  • Ask five questions.
  • Interview a partner.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • ❓Question-word cards
  • 💻Match the Question Word
  • 🗣️Audio
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

疑问词 (yíwèncí)question word谁 (shéi)who什么 (shénme)what哪里 (nǎlǐ)where什么时候 (shénme shíhou)when为什么 (wèishénme)why怎么 (zěnme)how几 (jǐ)how many
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does “谁 (shéi)” mean?
Who.
QUESTION 2
What does “哪里 (nǎlǐ)” mean?
Where.
QUESTION 3
What does “为什么 (wèishénme)” mean?
Why.

Reflect: 疑问词.

Have students ask one question in Mandarin using a question word (like “你去哪里?”). A printable question-words sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Mandarin Question Words (Yíwèncí)Flip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Mandarin Question Words (Yíwèncí)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Mandarin Question Words (Yíwèncí)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: 为什么 (wèishénme), 什么 (shénme), 什么时候 (shénme shíhou), 几 (jǐ), 哪里 (nǎlǐ), 怎么 (zěnme), 疑问词 (yíwèncí), 谁 (shéi)
  1. when
  2. how
  3. question word
  4. how many
  5. why
  6. where
  7. what
  8. who

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does “谁 (shéi)” mean?
  2. What does “哪里 (nǎlǐ)” mean?
  3. What does “为什么 (wèishénme)” mean?
Answer key — Part A: 1) 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) · 2) 怎么 (zěnme) · 3) 疑问词 (yíwèncí) · 4) 几 (jǐ) · 5) 为什么 (wèishénme) · 6) 哪里 (nǎlǐ) · 7) 什么 (shénme) · 8) 谁 (shéi)
Part B: 1) Who. 2) Where. 3) Why.