The Power of Asking the Right Questions

(In Any Language)

By Professor Tony ArtigasPublished in collaboration with Tymur Levitin, Founder of Levitin Language School and Start Language School by Tymur Levitin

Introduction

When we ask questions to gain information, the way we ask is just as important as what we ask. This applies in any language. The ability to ask well is a critical tool of investigation — one that can be skillfully used or carelessly wasted.

Asking questions is both a science and an art.
The science lies in how you structure your questions and how you link one to another.
The art lives in your tone of voice, your creative word choice, your body language, and the context around the question.

Technique is everything.
Questioning isn’t a secondary act — it’s the main event. And yet, most of us never prepare for it.

Two Types of Questions in Every Language

To lead someone to give us an answer, we rely on two basic types of questions:

1. Verb-led questions
2. Interrogative questions

1. Verb-Led Questions

Verb-led questions begin with verbs such as:
Is, isn’t, can, can’t, will, won’t, do you, have you, are you, has he, does she…

These types of questions are simple, but shallow. They often result in brief, non-revealing answers:

• Yes — typically the answer we hope for when seeking agreement.
• No — the one an inexperienced speaker fears.
• Maybe — vague, confusing, and often counterproductive. It clouds vision and decision-making. It creates false expectations of a positive outcome.

Try asking these kinds of questions in your own language — or any other language you speak. The result is the same: they can be answered quickly and closed off easily.
And unless the other person chooses to elaborate, you may be left with nothing more than a reaffirmation.

2. Interrogative Questions

Interrogative questions begin with words like:
Who, What, When, Where, How, Which, Why

These are questions of discovery.
They demand more than a yes or no. They open dialogue, encourage reflection, and elicit meaningful detail. They invite someone to expand and explore.

Examples include:

• “When does the course begin?”
• “How will it be structured?”
• “Who has the greatest influence in this decision?”
• “Where will the final call be made?”

These are the safest and most productive questions. They unlock background, reveal motivation, and clarify needs. Even more powerfully — they often help the person answering discover what they hadn’t seen or understood before.

Few of these questions can be met with a simple yes, no, or maybe.

The Most Powerful Question in Any Language:

“What can I do for you?”

Who really holds control in a conversation — the speaker or the listener?

It’s the listener. Always.

If you want to maintain calm, clarity, and control — let the other person talk. The more they speak, the more they reveal.

When someone speaks, they are speaking to you from their world. And when you ask, “What can I do for you?”, you invite them to stay in that space and feel safe. Their response allows you to enter their perspective — their vision, their frustration, their hope.

Asked sincerely, and in a calm, respectful tone (not with impatience or frustration), it can feel profoundly comforting.

Think about a moment when you were overwhelmed — and someone asked you that question.
It’s as if the weight on your shoulders eased.

This question — or a similar one, like “How can I help you?” — shows that you are not in need, and that you are present, confident, and open.

It removes pressure from the conversation and builds genuine trust. Your conversation partner may even feel relief, because they see a possibility: maybe you are someone who can truly help.

Final Reflection

To ask well is to lead well.
To understand someone — in any language — we must start not with assumptions, nor with answers, but with better questions.

Mastering the way we ask is mastering the way we connect.

About the Authors

Professor Tony Artigas is an expert in communication, leadership, and strategic negotiation. He is known for his ability to make language a tool of clarity, not confusion.

This article was published in partnership with Tymur Levitin, founder of Levitin Language School y Start Language School by Tymur Levitin, as part of a shared commitment to mindful communication and global language education.

Read in Spanish

📖 Original article (en español):
👉 La importancia de saber preguntar – por el Profesor Tony Artigas

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