Interrogative Pronouns: How To Ask Questions

Guimo: Maayong aga, 'Nong Dolpo.
Dolpo: Maayong aga, Guimo.
Guimo: Sin-o imo upod, 'Nong?  Ano iya ngalan?
Dolpo: Asawa ko, si Amor.
Guimo: San-o ka nakasal kag sa di-in?
Dolpo: Kahapon lang kami nakasal sa Guimbal.
Guimo: Pila` ka tuig na kamo magnobyohanay?
Dolpo: Nga-a gusto mo guid mahibalo-an? Tsismoso ka guid, Guimo.  Lakat kami anay.

Translation
Guimo: Good Morning, 'Nong Dolpo.
Dolpo: Good Morning, Guimo.
Guimo: Who is your companion, 'Nong? (literal: who-your-companion) What is his/her name? (literal: what-his/her-name)
Dolpo: My wife, Amor.
Guimo: When were you married and where? (literal: when-you-married-and-in-where)
Dolpo: We were married just yesterday in Guimbal. (literal: yesterday-just-we-married-in-Guimbal)

Guimo: How many years were you going steady? (literal:how many-of-year-already-you-going steady)
Dolpo: Why do you really want to know?  (literal: why-want-you-to know) You are really nosy, Guimo. (literal: nosy-you-really) We are leaving now.  (literal: leave-we-awhile)

From the dialog above, I have presented four (5) basic interrogative pronouns: Ano, Sin-o, San-o, Di-in, Pila [Who, What, When, Where and How many].

TIDBIT: Bala` and Haw'

There are several special particles used with interrogative sentences.  Bala`, not to be confused with bala (ammunition), is sometimes used in interrogative sentences without the above mentioned pronouns.  Here are some examples:

1. May kotse bala` ikaw, Frank? [Do you have a car, Frank?] -- page 24, sentence 10 of Wolfrender's book.
2. Nakaparehistro bala` ikaw, Ann? [Were you able to register, Ann?]
3. Indi bala`? [Isn't it?]
   

Most often, bala` is omitted.  Sentence #1 and #2 above would still be comprehensible without this particle.

Haw' (take note of the glottal stop) is another particle used with interrogative sentences.  It is used to emphasize a question.

1. Nga-a haw'? [Why?]
2. Karon haw'? [Later? (literal: later-haw)]