質問First sentences
Asking questions
Add か to the end of a sentence and it becomes a question. The word order doesn't change at all.
The whole trick
Statement, then question
Statement
田中さんは学生です。Tanaka-san wa gakusei desu.Tanaka is a student.
Question
田中さんは学生ですか。Tanaka-san wa gakusei desu ka.Is Tanaka a student?
Same words, one more sound. Your voice rises at the end.
Question words
The question word stays where the answer would go
English moves “what” to the front. Japanese leaves it in place: これは何ですか is literally “This is what?” To answer, swap the question word for the answer and drop か.
Japanese questions are often written with a period, as here. In casual writing you'll also see ？.
Handy words
Question words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 何 | なに / なん | what |
| だれ | だれ | who |
| どこ | どこ | where |
| いつ | いつ | when |
| どれ | どれ | which one |
| どう | どう | how |
| なぜ / どうして | なぜ / どうして | why |
In use
Asking for information
What kind of meat is this?
Where's the bathroom?
When is your birthday?
Who is that person?
A useful word
どう: how is it?
How's school?
This asks about how something is.
Would you like some tea?
いかが is the polite version, often used to offer something.
How do you read this name?
どう can also ask how to do something.
Think about it
Which question fits the answer?
First
これは何の肉ですか。Kore wa nan no niku desu ka.Second
銀行はどこですか。Ginkou wa doko desu ka.The reply is 駅の前です: “In front of the station.”
Check yourself
What is this question asking about?
Your turn
Which ending makes a question?
Is this a pen?
Say it yourself
Lost in town
You're looking for the nearest station, and you stop someone on the street. What do you ask?
Automatic feedback on your own answers is coming to Premium.