Question words
だれ・なに（なん）・どこ・いつ + ですか
The question word takes the place of the answer, and the sentence ends with か. なん before です and counters, なに elsewhere.
In short
A question is formed by putting the question word in place of the information you're looking for, without changing the order: だれ (who), なに／なん (what), どこ (where), いつ (when). なに becomes なん before です and counters.
- あの 人は だれですか。ano hito wa dare desu kaWho is that person?
- これは なんですか。kore wa nan desu kaWhat is this?
- たんじょうびは いつですか。tanjōbi wa itsu desu kaWhen is your birthday?
The basics
A question word goes where the answer would be. You keep the order of the statement, put the question word in place of the information you want, and end with か.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| だれ（どなた） | who | あの 人は だれですか。 |
| なに／なん | what | これは なんですか。 |
| どこ | where | えきは どこですか。 |
| いつ | when | しけんは いつですか。 |
| いくら | how much (price) | これは いくらですか。 |
| どれ・どの | which one, which | どれが いいですか。 |
なに or なん?
Both mean “what”. You say なん before です, before the sounds t, d, n, and before a counter (なんじ, what time; なんにん, how many people). Elsewhere, especially before を, you say なに.
- これは なんですか。kore wa nan desu kaWhat is this?
- なにを 食べますか。nani o tabemasu kaWhat are you eating?
- いま なんじですか。ima nan-ji desu kaWhat time is it now?
A question word takes が, never は
When the question word is the subject of the sentence, it's followed by が: だれが 来ましたか (who came?). は announces what's already known, whereas a question word is by definition the unknown.
- だれが 来ましたか。dare ga kimashita kaWho came?
Common mistakes
- Putting the question word first as in English: you say しけんは いつですか, not いつ しけんは ですか.
- Writing だれは: a question word as subject takes が.
- Saying なにですか: before です, it's なんですか.
5 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N5 point is on the Hanzomon Line (This, that, who, where) of the Tokyo subway.