谁
who? (谁的 = whose?)
Structure
谁 + 动词 …… ？ · …… 是 谁 ？
What it means
谁 means “who?” and 谁的 “whose?”. It goes where the answer will go, and the word order doesn't change.
How it is built
谁 in the answer's place: 他是谁？——他是我朋友。 (Who is he? — He's my friend.) As subject: 谁是你的汉语老师？ Whose: 这是谁的书？ (Whose book is this?)
When to use it
Use it to ask about a person; for things, use 什么 (lesson p-7). In speech it is said shéi; shuí is also correct.
Watch out
谁 already makes the question, so no 吗: ✗ 他是谁吗？ ✓ 他是谁？ For “whose”, keep 的: ✗ 这是谁书？ ✓ 这是谁的书？
Examples
他是谁？——他是我朋友。
Who is he? — He’s my friend.
谁是你的汉语老师？
Who is your Chinese teacher?
这是谁的书？
Whose book is this?
Learn this in HSK 1 · Lesson 2: 你是哪国人 (Where are you from?)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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