What/How did you feel when the earthquake happened?

[kadioguy]

[My sentences]
a. What did you feel when the earthquake happened?
b. How did you feel when the earthquake happened?

Do they both work and mean the same?

A friend told me:
"What did you feel" tends to refer to what you felt physically, e.g., the shaking and the rumbling.
"How did you feel" refers to your emotions and inner feelings, e.g., being scared.
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What do you think?

PS - This thread might interest you: https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/what-did-you-feel.54679/

 

[Skrej]

They both work, but they do not mean the same. For the most part, I agree with your friend.

That's not to say you couldn't answer the first question with something like 'I felt a sense of dread', which is of course more of an emotional response than a physical one.

 

[Tarheel]

I felt all shook up.


P.S. @kadioguy That's an answer to either question.

 

[jutfrank]

Sentence b) is about feelings only. Sentence a) could also be about feelings but it could be about sensations, or both.