Thread: Very basic question: как, какой и что

When in Russia, what is the most commonly accepted way to petition someone to repeat or explain what they have just spoken? как, какой или что? I'm studying vocabulary and it says "что" = "that". But I know a common expression in Russian is "что ты делаеш?" ("What you do?" if I am not mistaken)

Would I be more respectful if I said "как?" instead of "что?"

Originally Posted by PentatonicDream

When in Russia, what is the most commonly accepted way to petition someone to repeat or explain what they have just spoken? как, какой или что? I'm studying vocabulary and it says "что" = "that".

Что can be translated as what or that depending on the context.

The most commonly accepted way to say what you mean is "Что, простите?". You can also say "Простите, что вы сказали?".
But if you say ты to the speaker you can ask just "Что?". Or "Что ты говоришь?" (with the strong stress in "что"). Or even "Чего ты говоришь?"

"Как, простите?" is acceptable, too. But I think it's a bit outdated. Also "Как вы сказали?"

But I know a common expression in Russian is "что ты делаешь?" ("What you do?" if I am not mistaken)

I don't know this common expression then. For me, it's not a common expression, it's just a question which means "What are you doing?". And it has nothing to do with the question "Что, простите?"

Originally Posted by PentatonicDream

When in Russia, what is the most commonly accepted way to petition someone to repeat or explain what they have just spoken? как, какой или что? I'm studying vocabulary and it says "что" = "that". But I know a common expression in Russian is "что ты делаешь?" ("What do you do?" if I am not mistaken)

Would I be more respectful if I said "как?" instead of "что?"

If comparing, "most commonly accepted" is "Что ты сказал?" over "Как ты сказал?"

Well, что-question means that you missed the words of your interlocutor and you want him to repeat them. Как-question is a bit coarse and is mainly to be used to repeat not words but the idea, which can be expressed differently after your request.

Thanks. What about "какой?" I see this translated as "what", but to my understanding it's more like asking "which?"

'Which' as 'какой' is better when you have choice:

Which suit becomes you best (blue or black)? = Какой костюм тебе больше подходит (синий или чёрный)?

'What' as 'какой' is better in other cases:

What kind of man is him? = Какой он человек?

I just remembered we can use How or What in English too in this context:
What did you say?
How's that again?
Both mean the same thing.

Originally Posted by Rtyom

'Which' as 'какой' is better when you have choice:

Which suit becomes you best (blue or black)? = Какой костюм тебе больше подходит (синий или чёрный)? ...

Когда я слышу "Which?", я всегда думаю Который?.

Originally Posted by PentatonicDream

I'm studying vocabulary and it says "что" = "that". But I know a common expression in Russian is "что ты делаеш?" ("What you do?" if I am not mistaken)

Alright, so let me give you a similar example in English so you could see the duality of "что" as either "what" or "that:"

Что он сказал?
What did he say?


Я повторил то, что он сказал.
I repeated what he just said. = I repeated the same that he just said.

Я сказала ему, что завтра уезжаю. = I told him that I leave tomorrow.