An interrogative word often serves as a subject or direct object, but also as MANNER, PLACE, TIME, or a prepositional object.
In the example below, _wie_ (who) is the subject, which is always part of the finite form. If a sentence does not begin with the finite form, inversion occurs (see also [finite form](#/lesson/WordOrder.04). In this case, the interrogative word is part of the finite form, so inversion is not necessary.
[FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [EHD](#/lesson/WordOrder.09) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Wie heeft | er | een fototoestel | meegenomen?
Who has brought a camera?
The little word _er_ is used, but this is not always compulsory. It is just very common to place _er_ at the beginning of a sentence when the subject is non-specific (see also [extra _er_ at the beginning of the sentence](#/lesson/WordOrder.40)). No need to add that _wie_ is a non-specific subject.
[DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | - | [PF](#/lesson/WordOrder.25) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Wat | neem jij | - | mee? | --
What do you bring?
The word _mee_ is the [prefix of the separable compound verb](#/lesson/WordOrder.25) _meenemen_ (to bring along). _Wat_ serves as the [direct object](#/lesson/WordOrder.17), which we usually find in the pink middle part. Open question always begin with an interrogative word, so if the interrogative word happens to serve as a direct object, the latter will inevitably be placed at the beginning of the sentence. Note the inversion of the [finite form](#/lesson/WordOrder.04)!
[DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | - | MISC | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Wat voor reinigingsmiddel | gebruiken jullie | - | daarvoor? | -
What kind of detergent do you (plural) use for that?
Normally, the word _wat_ does not occur in combination with a preposition. The expression _wat voor_ is an exception to this rule. It can only mean 'what kind of', you cannot use in the sense of 'for what'. Again, note the inversion of the [finite form](#/lesson/WordOrder.04).
[FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | - | [MISC](#/lesson/WordOrder.31) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Welke politicus is | - | het populairst? | --
Which politician is the most popular?
_Het populairst_ is a [complement](#/lesson/WordOrder.31), which falls under the MISC category. The [finite form](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) is not inverted, because the interrogative word (welke) is part of the subject (welke politicus). And the subject makes up the finite form together with the finite verb ("is", in this case).
[TIME](#/lesson/WordOrder.13) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Wanneer | komen ze | het huisvuil | ophalen?
When do they come to collect the rubbish?
_Wanneer_ serves as the TIME-element. You normally find this element in the pink middle part, but it is not uncommon to place it at the beginning. Anyway, as an interrogative adverb, _wanneer_ must be placed at the beginning.
[MANNER](#/lesson/WordOrder.13) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [INDOB'](#/lesson/WordOrder.06) | - | [MISC](#/lesson/WordOrder.28) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Hoe | wil zij | hem | - | ten huwelijk | vragen?
How does she want to propose (to get married) to him?
_Ten huwelijk_ is part of _ten huwelijk vragen_ (to propose to get married).
[PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Waar | kan ik | ergens | zonnebloemolie | kopen?
Where can I buy sunflower oil (somewhere)?
The second PLACE-element _ergens_ is actually redundant - as you can see in the English translation - but very common in spoken Dutch. You do not have to bother using it yourself, but remember this example when you come across a sentence where the PLACE-element is doubled.
[MANNER](#/lesson/WordOrder.13) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [INDOB'](#/lesson/WordOrder.06) | - | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Hoeveel keer | kun jij | je | - | opdrukken?
How many push-ups can you do?
The interrogative number _hoeveel_ serves as a [MANNER-element](#/lesson/WordOrder.15). Note that we use a singular noun _keer_ (time). It is not wrong to use the plural _keren_ (times), it is just very uncommon.
[FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [EHD](#/lesson/WordOrder.09) | [PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Wiens auto staat | er | in onze voortuin? | -
Whose car 'stands' in our front yard?
The other form, _wier,_ is used to refer to objects that belong to females or to more than one person. It is more commonly used as a relative pronoun, and even then, many people simply choose to use _wiens_ regardless of the possessor.
[MANNER](#/lesson/WordOrder.13) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Waarmee | kan een piloot | de positie van zijn vliegtuig | bepalen?
With what can a pilot determine the position of his airplane?
_Waarmee_ (wherewith) is another way of saying _met wat_ (with what). The word _wat_ does not occur in combination with a preposition. If it does, we replace _wat_ by _waar_ and we attach _waar_ to the beginning of the preposition. This way, the preposition turns into a postposition (after all, it does not precede its object anymore, it now follows after it). Most prepositions remain unchanged if they are used as postpositions. _Met_ is an exception: When used as a postposition, it turns into _mee_.
You can compare this to [_er_ replacing _het_](#/lesson/WordOrder.38).
Just like _ermee, hiermee,_ and _daarmee,_ the words _waar_ and _mee_ can be separated. If this is the case, the preposition (well, postposition) is placed at the beginning of the right part of the sentence (see [EHD-postposition](#/lesson/WordOrder.29)).
[MANNER](#/lesson/WordOrder.13) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [MISC](#/lesson/WordOrder.28) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Waar | kan een piloot | de positie van zijn vliegtuig | mee | bepalen?
With what can a pilot determine the position of his airplane?
Sometimes, it is rather uncommon to leave the word _waar_ attached to its postposition. Such is the case with _waarvandaan:_
[PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | - | [MISC](#/lesson/WordOrder.28) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Waar | komt hij | - | vandaan? | \-\-\-
Where does he come from?
_Waarvandaan_ (where from) comes from _van waar_ (from where). In this case, _waar_ does not replace _wat,_ but simply means "where". The preposition _van_ turns into the postposition _vandaan_. In other contexts, we can also use _waarvan_, but this means _what from_.
conjunctive | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Waarom | weigerde hij | dat formulier | te ondertekenen?
Why did he refuse to sign that form?
For _waarom_ (why), the opposite goes: it is never separated.
[MISC](#/lesson/WordOrder.28) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [MISC](#/lesson/WordOrder.28) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Waar | moet je | die haak | aan | bevestigen?
What do you have to attach that hook to?
In most cases, it really does not matter whether you leave the word intact, or whether you separate it in two. The same goes for _waaraan_. If you separate it, the postposition (aan) is placed in the right part (see [EHD-postposition](#/lesson/WordOrder.29)).
[MISC](#/lesson/WordOrder.28) | [FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Waaraan | moet je | die haak | bevestigen?
What do you have to attach the hook to?