Hi, guys! Dan for BBC Learning English here with this week's learner question. Find out what it is after this.
嗨，大家!我是 BBC 學英文的 Dan，帶來本週的學員問題。在這之後來看看是什麼問題吧。
Learners' Questions
學員來發問
Okay! This week's learner question comes from...Cristina Gutierrez. And she says, "First of all, congratulations on your splendid programs at BBC Learning English." Thank you so much. "They are both entertaining and useful." Good. That's what we want them to be. "I'd like to know what's the exact difference in usage between 'what' and 'which' at the beginning of direct questions." Well, Cristina, as you command, so we obey.
好!這禮拜的學員問題來自...Cristina Gutierrez。她說：「首先，恭喜你們在 BBC 學英文頻道上的超棒節目。」非常感謝。「那些節目有趣又實用。」很好。我們就是想要有趣又實用。「我想知道 what 和 which 使用上的確切差異，當它們在直接問句的開頭時。」 嗯，Cristina，我們使命必達。
Now, both are often possible with very little difference. For example, "What or which is your favorite food?" or "Which or what is the best program on TV at the moment?" When we feel we have a limited number of choices, we prefer "which." So with a menu, "Hmm, which dessert shall we have?" Or when looking at a multiple choice test, "Which one is the answer?" On the other hand, "what" is used when we feel we have an unlimited number of choices. So, for example, "What shall we have for dinner?" or "Hmm, what's the answer to this question?"
現在，兩個字常常都有可能用到，其中差異非常小。例如，「『什麼』或者『哪一個』是你最喜歡的食物？」或「『哪一個』或『什麼』是目前最好看的電視節目？」當我們覺得自己的選擇有限時，我們會偏好用 which。所以看著菜單時，「嗯，我們要吃哪種甜點好呢？」或是在看多選測驗時，「答案是哪一個呢？」另一方面，what 則是在我們覺得有無數選擇時使用。那麼，舉例來說，「我們晚餐要吃什麼？」或「嗯，這題的答案是什麼？」
Both can be used as determiners in direct questions when talking about people or things. They're always followed by nouns, though. So, when looking at a line of cars, I might say, "Which car is yours?" But in general, I could ask, "What car do you drive?" In talking about people, we can use "which" to ask about identity and "what" to ask about job. For example, "There's a group of people over there. Which is your friend?" or "Tim's a lawyer. What's James?"
兩者都可以在討論人或事物時在直接問句中當限定詞。不過它們後面總是跟著名詞。所以，在看著一排汽車時，我可能會說：「哪一台車是你的？」不過一般來說，我可以問：「你開什麼車？」討論人時，我們可以用 which 來詢問身分，然後用 what 來問職業。例如，「那裡有一群人。你的朋友是哪一個？」或「Tim 是位律師。James 是做什麼的？」
I hope that answers your question, Cristina. Thank you very much for contacting us.
希望那有回答到妳的問題，Cristina。很謝謝妳和我們聯絡。
- 「首先」- First Of All
And she says, "First of all, congratulations on your splendid programs at BBC Learning English."
她說：「首先，恭喜你們在 BBC 學英文頻道上的超棒節目。」 - 「例如」- For Example
For example, "What or which is your favorite food?" or "Which or what is the best program on TV at the moment?"
例如，「『什麼』或者『哪一個』是你最喜歡的食物？」或「『哪一個』或『什麼』是目前最好看的電視節目？」 - 「目前、此刻」- At The Moment
For example, "What or which is your favorite food?" or "Which or what is the best program on TV at the moment?"
例如，「『什麼』或者『哪一個』是你最喜歡的食物？」或「『哪一個』或『什麼』是目前最好看的電視節目？」 - 「另一方面」- On The Other Hand
On the other hand, "what" is used when we feel we have an unlimited number of choices.
另一方面，what 則是在我們覺得有無數選擇時使用。 - 「一般來說、通常」- In General
But in general, I could ask, "What car do you drive?"
不過一般來說，我可以問：「你開什麼車？」
