- Turn a sentence into a question by adding か at the end: これはすしですか.
- The question word goes where the answer will go. No need to move it to the front.
- Core words: なに (what), だれ (who), どこ (where), いつ (when), どうして (why), いくら (how much).
- Question words take が, never は, as subjects: だれがきましたか.
Making questions with か
Japanese questions are easy: take a statement and add か. No change in word order.
- これはすしですkore wa sushi desuThis is sushi.
- これはすしですかkore wa sushi desu kaIs this sushi?
In casual speech, people often drop か and simply raise their voice: すし？
All the question words
- なに / なんnani / nanwhatなん before d, n, t sounds and counters: なんですか.
- だれdarewhoPolite: どなた (donata).
- どこdokowhere
- いつitsuwhen
- どれdorewhich one (of three or more)
- どのdonowhich (+ noun)どのバス？ Which bus?
- どちらdochirawhich (of two) / where (polite)
- どうdōhow
- どうしてdōshitewhyAlso なぜ (naze), more formal; なんで (nande), casual.
- いくらikurahow much (price)
- いくつikutsuhow many / how old
- どのくらいdono kuraihow long / how much (amount)
Questions you’ll actually use
- これはなんですかkore wa nan desu kaWhat is this?
- トイレはどこですかtoire wa doko desu kaWhere is the toilet?
- いくらですかikura desu kaHow much is it?
- なんじですかnanji desu kaWhat time is it?
- いつにほんにきましたかitsu nihon ni kimashita kaWhen did you come to Japan?
- だれがきましたかdare ga kimashita kaWho came?
- どうしてにほんごをべんきょうしていますかdōshite nihongo o benkyō shite imasu kaWhy are you studying Japanese?
- えきまでどのくらいかかりますかeki made dono kurai kakarimasu kaHow long does it take to the station?
なん + counter
| Question | Meaning |
|---|---|
| なんじ | what time |
| なんにん | how many people |
| なんさい | how old |
| なんようび | what day of the week |
| なんがつ | which month |
| なんばん | what number |
These combine with what you learned in numbers, time and days and months.
Bonus: something, someone, somewhere
Add か to a question word and you get some-: なにか (something), だれか (someone), どこか (somewhere), いつか (someday). Add も with a negative verb for nothing / nobody: なにもありません (there’s nothing).
“Where is the station?”
“How much is it?”
“Who came?”
What does なにか mean?
Frequently asked questions
How do you ask a question in Japanese?
Add the particle か to the end of a sentence: これはすしです (this is sushi) becomes これはすしですか (is this sushi?). In casual speech, rising intonation alone is enough.
What are the Japanese question words?
なに/なん (what), だれ (who), どこ (where), いつ (when), どれ (which), どう (how), どうして/なぜ (why), いくら (how much) and いくつ (how many / how old).
What is the difference between nani and nan?
Both mean 'what'. なん is used before sounds like d, n and t and before counters (なんですか, なんじ), なに elsewhere (なにがすきですか).