diff --git a/scripts/geodata/categories/query.py b/scripts/geodata/categories/query.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0641a6a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/geodata/categories/query.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import random
+import six
+
+from collections import namedtuple
+
+from geodata.addresses.config import address_config
+from geodata.categories.config import category_config
+from geodata.encoding import safe_decode
+from geodata.math.sampling import weighted_choice, cdf
+
+CategoryQuery = namedtuple('CategoryQuery', 'category, prep, add_place_name')
+
+NULL_CATEGORY_QUERY = CategoryQuery(None, None, False)
+
+
+class Category(object):
+    @classmethod
+    def phrase(cls, language, key, value, is_plural=False, country=None):
+        category_phrase = category_config.get_phrase(language, key, value, is_plural=is_plural)
+        if not category_phrase:
+            return NULL_CATEGORY_QUERY
+
+        category_phrase = safe_decode(category_phrase)
+
+        category_props = address_config.get_property('categories', language, country=country)
+        if category_props is None:
+            return CategoryQuery(category_phrase, prep=None, add_place_name=True)
+
+        values = []
+        probs = []
+
+        for prep_phrase_type in ('near', 'nearby', 'near_me', 'in', 'null'):
+            k = '{}_probability'.format(prep_phrase_type)
+            prob = category_props.get(k, None)
+            if prob is not None:
+                values.append(prep_phrase_type)
+                probs.append(prob)
+
+        probs = cdf(probs)
+
+        prep_phrase_type = weighted_choice(values, probs)
+
+        if prep_phrase_type == 'null':
+            return CategoryQuery(category_phrase, prep=None, add_place_name=True)
+
+        values, probs = address_config.alternative_probabilities('categories.{}'.format(prep_phrase_type), language, country=country)
+        if not values:
+            return CategoryQuery(category_phrase, prep=None, add_place_name=True)
+
+        prep_phrase, prep_phrase_props = weighted_choice(values, probs)
+        prep_phrase = safe_decode(prep_phrase)
+
+        add_place_name = prep_phrase_type not in ('nearby', 'near_me')
+
+        return CategoryQuery(category_phrase, prep=prep_phrase, add_place_name=add_place_name)