Creating open-ended questions with special words is a really important skill for students learning Russian. These special words are called interrogative pronouns. In Russian, they are:

• Кто (who)
• Что (what)
• Какой (which)
• Чей (whose)
• Где (where)

These words help you ask questions that need more than just a yes or no answer.

To make an open-ended question in Russian, first, pick one of these special words. Here are some examples to help you understand:

1. Кто (who):

   • Кто это? (Who is this?)
   • Кто тебе помогает? (Who helps you?)

2. Что (what):

   • Что ты читаешь? (What are you reading?)
   • Что ты думаешь об этом? (What do you think about this?)

3. Какой (which):

   • Какой фильм ты смотришь? (Which movie are you watching?)
   • Какой цвет тебе больше нравится? (Which color do you like best?)

4. Чей (whose):

   • Чей это рюкзак? (Whose backpack is this?)
   • Чей проект ты завершил? (Whose project did you finish?)

5. Где (where):

   • Где ты работаешь? (Where do you work?)
   • Где вы провели отпуск? (Where did you spend your vacation?)

When you start your questions with these special words, you make it easy for others to give longer answers.

The best open-ended questions mix context with curiosity. They invite the person you’re talking to share more information.

Practicing these questions will help you get better at speaking and understanding Russian!