Asking who, what, where, when, and how much
Five useful question words help you ask for the information you need.
Learn
Put the question word where the answer would go, then finish these polite questions with か. これ は 本 です means “This is a book.” Replace 本 with 何: これ は 何 です か means “What is this?”
| meaning | |
|---|---|
| 誰(だれ) | who |
| 何(なん) | what |
| どこ | where |
| いつ | when |
| いくら | how much (price) |
English usually moves a question word to the front: “Where is the restroom?” Japanese keeps the restroom as the topic and puts どこ in the place being asked about: トイレ は どこ です か。 A structural guide is “As for the restroom: where?”
Pronunciation
The reading of 何 depends on the expression. Learn なん in 何 です か and なに in 何 を 食べます か. Do not turn this into a rule that 何 is always なに before a particle; learn the reading with each common pattern.
Examples
あの 人 は 誰 です か。
Who is that person over there?
これ は 何 です か。
What is this?
トイレ は どこ です か。
Where is the restroom?
パーティー は いつ です か。
When is the party?
これ は いくら です か。
How much is this?