"What is your question?"
Translation:Jakie jest twoje pytanie?
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Both Co jest twoim pytaniem and Jakie jest twoje pytanie are possible answers. Can anyone offer an explanation to this? I thought instrumental is always used for a noun following the verb "to be." Also, and I'm sure this is related, what is the difference between co and jakie? Thanks!
The sentence "Co jest twoim pytaniem?" does not make any sense. The sentence "What is your question?" asks for the content of the question.
It does not ask for the quality of the question (good or bad). It does not
ask for the definition which would require the instrumental case with
the verb "to be":
To identify/indicate the subject: What is IT? - Co TO jest? TO jest pytanie Question about the definition: What IS it? - Czym to JEST? (Co to JEST?)
What IS your sentence? (Define your sentence) - Czym JEST twoje zdanie?
Your sentence IS a question - Twoje zdanie JEST pytaniem (instrumental)
It is probably better to treat this translation as an idiomatic expression:
What is your question? - Jakie masz pytanie?/ Jakie macie pytanie?
Translation "Jakie jest twoje pytanie?" may invite an unexpected answer:
Twoje pytanie jest... dobre/złe/głupie - Your question is good/bad/stupid
"Co jest twoim pytaniem" is quite a strange sentence to me, I'm not sure if it should be accepted. Well, at least it is not suggested.
Well, the difference between "co" and "jakie" is the most difficult question that I get here. It is obvious to me, but I really don't know how to approach it and explain. Basically, "jakie" asks for some kind of a description, and "co" is simple "what"... in a way, I'd call "jakie" an adjectival, descriptive 'what'. But frankly, I guess you just have to observe the usages.
i guess you're having the same problem as a German who tries to explain the difference between "wieso", "weshalb" and "warum". Which are all "why" in English. But to be sure. It would be "ok" to use co and jakie interchangeably, right? At least as a beginner.
Does "Wie ist deine Frage" make sense in German?
"co jest pytaniem" needs noun in instrumental.
"Wie ist deine Frage" sounds a bit strange. Using "wie" in a question asks more about the state of the subject, not so much about the subject itself. Like in "Wie ist das Wetter" - "how's the weather" . Maybe a subtle difference. strangely, it is used pretty often in that way in the past tense! "Wie war deine Frage" sounds a bit colloqial, but perfectly fine.
What you wrote: "Basically, "jakie" asks for some kind of a description, and "co" is simple "what"... in a way, I'd call "jakie" an adjectival, descriptive 'what'." This makes the most sense to me, thanks!
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This is something I can relate to. "co to jest?" - "to jest pytanie." (sorry for bad grammar. :-)
