Imagine you walk into a Japanese convenience store and see something unfamiliar on the shelf. You want to ask what it is, how much it costs, and where to find the register — but every question comes out scrambled because you keep putting the question word at the front, English-style. Sound familiar?
Japanese question words — called 疑問詞（ぎもんし） (gimonshi) — work very differently from English WH-words. The good news: once you understand the pattern, forming any question in Japanese becomes straightforward. This guide covers all 13 core question words, the right particles to pair with each one, the Ko-So-A-Do system that connects them all, natural travel and daily-life phrases, and the most common mistakes English speakers make.
Bookmark this page. It is the only Japanese question word reference you will need.
— ## At a Glance: Japanese Question WordsHere is a quick overview of all the question words covered in this guide. Formality notes are included so you know which form to use in different situations.
| Question Word | Romaji | Meaning | Formality | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 何 / なに / なん | nani / nan | What | Neutral | これは何ですか。 (What is this?) |
| だれ | dare | Who | Casual–Neutral | だれが来ますか。 (Who is coming?) |
| どこ | doko | Where | Neutral | どこに行きますか。 (Where are you going?) |
| いつ | itsu | When | Neutral | いつ来ますか。 (When are you coming?) |
| なぜ | naze | Why | Formal / Written | なぜですか。 (Why is that?) |
| どうして | doushite | Why | Standard Polite | どうして遅れましたか。 (Why were you late?) |
| なんで | nande | Why | Casual | なんで来なかったの？ (Why didn’t you come?) |
| どう | dou | How (manner/opinion) | Neutral | どうですか。 (How is it?) |
| どれ | dore | Which one (3 or more) | Neutral | どれがいいですか。 (Which one is good?) |
| どの | dono | Which + noun | Neutral | どの本ですか。 (Which book?) |
| どっち / どちら | docchi / dochira | Which of two / Which direction | Casual / Polite | どちらにしますか。 (Which will you have?) |
| いくら | ikura | How much (price) | Neutral | いくらですか。 (How much is it?) |
| いくつ | ikutsu | How many / How old | Neutral | いくつありますか。 (How many are there?) |
Before we dive into each question word, you need to understand how Japanese questions are built. The rules are simple, but they are the opposite of English in one crucial way.
### Add か in Polite QuestionsIn polite (です/ます) speech, you add か (ka) to the end of the sentence. That is it — no inversion, no auxiliary verb.
Statement: これはペンです。 (Kore wa pen desu.) — This is a pen.
Question: これはペンですか。 (Kore wa pen desu ka.) — Is this a pen?
In casual speech among friends, Japanese speakers often drop か and simply raise their voice at the end. A question mark in writing signals this.
Casual question: これ、何？ (Kore, nani?) — What is this?
With か: これは何ですか。 (Kore wa nan desu ka.) — What is this? (polite)
This is the most important rule — and the one English speakers most often break. In Japanese, question words do NOT move to the front of the sentence. They stay exactly where the answer would be in a normal sentence.
Think of it this way: in English, you move “what” to the front: “You ate what” becomes “What did you eat?” In Japanese, the question word simply replaces the noun in the same position:
Statement: ラーメンを食べました。 (Raamen wo tabemashita.) — I ate ramen.
Question: 何を食べましたか。 (Nani wo tabemashita ka.) — What did you eat?
The question word 何を (nani wo) occupies the same position as ラーメンを (raamen wo). Nothing else changes.
### Keep the Verb at the End — Do Not Copy English Word OrderJapanese is a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) language. The verb always comes last, even in questions. Never move the verb forward to copy English structure.
❌ WRONG: 食べましたか何を。
❌ WRONG: 何を食べた what?
✔ CORRECT: 何を食べましたか。
For a deeper look at SOV structure, see the guide below:
何 (nani / nan) means “what.” It is the most-used question word in Japanese — and also the trickiest, because the reading changes depending on what follows it.
The dialogue below shows a typical first encounter with 何:
Yukaこれは何ですか。 (Kore wa nan desu ka.) — What is this?
Reiそれはたこ焼きですよ！ (Sore wa takoyaki desu yo!) — That is takoyaki!
This confuses almost every learner. Here is the rule:
| Use | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| なん (nan) | Before です, で, の, or a counter | 何ですか / 何で来ますか / 何の本 / 何個 |
| なに (nani) | Before が, を, に, or a verb | 何が好き / 何を食べる / 何にする / 何をする |
The easiest shortcut: if the next sound starts with d (で, です, だ), use なん. For most everything else, default to なに and adjust as you hear native speakers.
### 何ですか / 何をしますか / 何が好きですかHere are the three most common 何 question patterns:
Pattern 1 — What is it?
これは何ですか。 (Kore wa nan desu ka.) — What is this?
お仕事は何ですか。 (Oshigoto wa nan desu ka.) — What is your job?
Pattern 2 — What do/will you do?
週末に何をしますか。 (Shuumatsu ni nani wo shimasu ka.) — What will you do on the weekend?
今夜、何を食べますか。 (Konya, nani wo tabemasu ka.) — What will you eat tonight?
Pattern 3 — What do you like/prefer?
何が好きですか。 (Nani ga suki desu ka.) — What do you like?
何が一番好きですか。 (Nani ga ichiban suki desu ka.) — What do you like most?
Swapping the particle after 何 produces a completely different question. This is one of the most powerful patterns in Japanese question formation.
何に (nani ni) — What for? / What (target/purpose)?
何に使いますか。 (Nani ni tsukaimasu ka.) — What will you use it for?
何で (nande) — By what means? / Using what?
何で来ましたか。 (Nande kimashita ka.) — How did you get here? (by what transport?)
何で食べますか。 (Nande tabemasu ka.) — What do you eat it with? (chopsticks? fork?)
Note: 何で can also mean “why” in casual speech (equivalent to なんで). Context usually makes the meaning clear.
### Practical Examples何語ですか。 (Nanigo desu ka.) — What language is it?
何時ですか。 (Nanji desu ka.) — What time is it?
何年生まれですか。 (Nannen umare desu ka.) — What year were you born?
何番線ですか。 (Nanban-sen desu ka.) — Which platform number? (train station)
だれ (dare) means “who.” Like 何, it stays in the sentence position where the answer would appear.
### だれですか / だれが来ますかあの人はだれですか。 (Ano hito wa dare desu ka.) — Who is that person?
だれが来ますか。 (Dare ga kimasu ka.) — Who is coming?
だれが作りましたか。 (Dare ga tsukurimashita ka.) — Who made it?
Changing the particle after だれ shifts the meaning of the question:
だれに (dare ni) — To whom / For whom?
だれに聞きましたか。 (Dare ni kikimashita ka.) — Who did you ask?
だれに送りますか。 (Dare ni okurimasu ka.) — Who will you send it to?
だれと (dare to) — With whom?
だれと来ましたか。 (Dare to kimashita ka.) — Who did you come with?
だれと話しましたか。 (Dare to hanashimashita ka.) — Who did you talk with?
だれを (dare wo) — Whom? (object)
だれを招待しますか。 (Dare wo shoutai shimasu ka.) — Who will you invite?
In formal situations — at a reception desk, in a business setting, or when speaking to someone significantly older — replace だれ with どなた (donata).
どなたですか。 (Donata desu ka.) — Who are you? / Who is this? (polite)
どなたにご連絡すればよいですか。 (Donata ni go-renraku sureba yoi desu ka.) — Who should I contact? (formal)
Learners often write 誰 (the kanji form) and forget it reads だれ, not かれ or た。The kanji is 誰, romaji is dare. The most common mistake is placing it at the front of the sentence, English-style:
❌ WRONG: だれは来ますか。
✔ CORRECT: だれが来ますか。
With “who” as the subject, the particle is almost always が, not は.
— ## どこ (doko): Whereどこ (doko) means “where.” It is one of the most useful words for travelers, but English speakers constantly mix up the particles that follow it.
### どこですか / どこにありますかトイレはどこですか。 (Toire wa doko desu ka.) — Where is the restroom?
駅はどこにありますか。 (Eki wa doko ni arimasu ka.) — Where is the station?
出口はどこですか。 (Deguchi wa doko desu ka.) — Where is the exit?
This is one of the most important particle distinctions for beginners. It mirrors the difference between the particles に and で.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| どこに | Where to (destination or existence) | どこに行きますか。 | Where are you going? |
| どこに | Where (existence — ある/いる) | どこにありますか。 | Where is it? |
| どこで | Where (action takes place) | どこで食べますか。 | Where will you eat? |
| どこで | Where (bought/got something) | どこで買いましたか。 | Where did you buy it? |
Quick rule: どこに = where something IS or where you GO TO. どこで = where an action HAPPENS.
### どこへ — Directionどこへ (doko e) is interchangeable with どこに when indicating direction of movement. It sounds slightly more literary but is perfectly natural in speech.
どこへ行きますか。 (Doko e ikimasu ka.) — Where are you going?
### どちら — Polite Where / Which Directionどちら (dochira) is the polite version of どこ when asking about direction. It is also the polite form of どっち (which of two). In a service context, always use どちら over どこ.
どちらにお住まいですか。 (Dochira ni osumai desu ka.) — Where do you live? (polite)
どちらへ参りましょうか。 (Dochira e mairimashou ka.) — Where shall I take you? (very formal)
バス乗り場はどこですか。 (Basu noriba wa doko desu ka.) — Where is the bus stop?
ホテルはどこで予約しましたか。 (Hoteru wa doko de yoyaku shimashita ka.) — Where did you book the hotel?
観光案内所はどこにありますか。 (Kankou annaisho wa doko ni arimasu ka.) — Where is the tourist information center?
いつ (itsu) means “when.” It is refreshingly simple compared to どこ — but there is one particle trap that catches almost every learner.
### いつですか / いつ来ますかパーティーはいつですか。 (Paatii wa itsu desu ka.) — When is the party?
いつ来ますか。 (Itsu kimasu ka.) — When are you coming?
試験はいつですか。 (Shiken wa itsu desu ka.) — When is the exam?
With specific time expressions, Japanese uses the particle に: 月曜日に、3時に、5月に. So learners assume いつ also takes に. It usually does not.
❌ Less natural: いつに来ますか。
✔ Natural: いつ来ますか。 (When are you coming?)
いつ is a flexible time word, like “when” in English. It does not require に. The particle に is added when you use a specific time noun — but いつ itself replaces that noun entirely, so に is not needed.
Exception: いつに can appear in some written or formal contexts (e.g., いつに定まらず — not fixed to any particular time), but in everyday speech, drop に after いつ.
### いつから / いつまでThese two compound question words are extremely useful:
いつから (itsu kara) — From when? / Since when?
いつから日本語を勉強していますか。 (Itsu kara nihongo wo benkyou shite imasu ka.) — Since when have you been studying Japanese?
いつまで (itsu made) — Until when? / How long?
いつまでいますか。 (Itsu made imasu ka.) — How long will you stay? / Until when are you here?
受付はいつまでですか。 (Uketsuke wa itsu made desu ka.) — Until when is reception open?
ツアーはいつ出発しますか。 (Tsuaa wa itsu shuppatsu shimasu ka.) — When does the tour depart?
博物館はいつ開きますか。 (Hakubutsukan wa itsu akimasu ka.) — When does the museum open?
次のバスはいつ来ますか。 (Tsugi no basu wa itsu kimasu ka.) — When does the next bus come?
Japanese has three common ways to ask “why,” and choosing the right one is a matter of register — not grammar. The structure is identical; only the formality level differs.
### なぜ — Formal and Writtenなぜ (naze) is the most formal of the three. You will see it in news articles, academic writing, essays, and formal speeches. In conversation, it can sound stiff or even confrontational.
なぜ遅刻しましたか。 (Naze chikoku shimashita ka.) — Why were you late? (formal, somewhat stern)
なぜ日本語を学んでいますか。 (Naze nihongo wo manande imasu ka.) — Why are you studying Japanese?
どうして (doushite) is the everyday spoken choice in polite situations. It feels natural, warm, and appropriately curious — not aggressive.
どうして日本語を勉強しているんですか。 (Doushite nihongo wo benkyou shite iru n desu ka.) — Why are you studying Japanese?
どうして昨日来なかったんですか。 (Doushite kinou konakatta n desu ka.) — Why didn’t you come yesterday?
なんで (nande) is casual and direct. Use it with friends, family, or close colleagues. It can sound impatient if used with strangers or superiors.
なんで来なかったの？ (Nande konakatta no?) — Why didn’t you come?
なんでそれ知ってるの？ (Nande sore shitteru no?) — How do you know that? / Why do you know that?
| Word | Register | Use in |
|---|---|---|
| なぜ | Formal / Written | Essays, news, formal speeches, very polite inquiries |
| どうして | Standard Polite | Everyday spoken Japanese, polite conversation |
| なんで | Casual | Friends, family, close colleagues, informal chat |
どう (dou) means “how” — but specifically “how” in the sense of manner, condition, or opinion. It does not mean “how to do X” by itself (that requires a different structure).
### どうですか — Asking Opinionsどうですか (dou desu ka) is one of the most useful Japanese phrases you can learn. It invites an evaluation or impression.
日本の食べ物はどうですか。 (Nihon no tabemono wa dou desu ka.) — How is Japanese food? / What do you think of Japanese food?
新しい仕事はどうですか。 (Atarashii shigoto wa dou desu ka.) — How is the new job?
体の具合はどうですか。 (Karada no guai wa dou desu ka.) — How are you feeling? (health)
When you want to ask how to physically do something — how to get somewhere, how to operate a machine, how to make something — use どうやって (dou yatte).
駅までどうやって行きますか。 (Eki made dou yatte ikimasu ka.) — How do I get to the station?
これはどうやって食べますか。 (Kore wa dou yatte tabemasu ka.) — How do you eat this?
日本語はどうやって勉強しましたか。 (Nihongo wa dou yatte benkyou shimashita ka.) — How did you study Japanese?
どうしたの？ (Dou shita no?) is a casual expression meaning “What happened?” or “What’s wrong?” It is not a question about method — it is an expression of concern.
どうしたの？顔色が悪いよ。 (Dou shita no? Kaoiro ga warui yo.) — What’s wrong? You look pale.
どうしましたか。 (Dou shimashita ka.) — What happened? (polite, e.g., asking a customer in distress)
発音はどうやって練習しましたか。 (Hatsuon wa dou yatte renshuu shimashita ka.) — How did you practice pronunciation?
この機械はどう使いますか。 (Kono kikai wa dou tsukaimasu ka.) — How do you use this machine?
明日の天気はどうですか。 (Ashita no tenki wa dou desu ka.) — What is the weather like tomorrow?
Four words for “which” — each used in a specific situation. Getting these right makes your Japanese sound immediately more natural.
Yukaどれがおすすめですか。 (Dore ga osusume desu ka.) — Which one do you recommend? (choosing from several)
Reiどのラーメンがおすすめですか。 (Dono raamen ga osusume desu ka.) — Which ramen do you recommend? (specifying the noun: ramen)
どれ (dore) stands alone — it does not attach to a noun. Use it when there are three or more options and you are pointing at or referring to a group of things.
どれがあなたのですか。 (Dore ga anata no desu ka.) — Which one is yours?
どれにしますか。 (Dore ni shimasu ka.) — Which one will you have? (from a menu or selection)
どの (dono) always precedes a noun. It is the question equivalent of この / その / あの (“this / that / that over there”). You cannot use どの alone.
どの電車に乗りますか。 (Dono densha ni norimasu ka.) — Which train do you take?
どの部屋がいいですか。 (Dono heya ga ii desu ka.) — Which room would you like?
どっち (docchi) is the casual way to ask “which of these two?” Use it with friends or in informal situations.
コーヒーと紅茶、どっちがいい？ (Koohii to koucha, docchi ga ii?) — Coffee or tea, which do you want?
どっちが好き？ (Docchi ga suki?) — Which do you like?
どちら (dochira) serves two functions: (1) the polite form of どっち (choosing between two), and (2) the polite form of どこ when asking about direction.
コーヒーと紅茶、どちらになさいますか。 (Koohii to koucha, dochira ni nasaimasu ka.) — Would you like coffee or tea? (very polite, restaurant/hotel context)
どちらからいらっしゃいましたか。 (Dochira kara irasshaimashita ka.) — Where are you from? (polite)
| Word | Attaches to noun? | Options | Formality | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| どれ | No (standalone) | 3 or more | Neutral | どれが好きですか。 |
| どの | Yes (always + noun) | 3 or more | Neutral | どの本が好きですか。 |
| どっち | No (standalone) | 2 | Casual | どっちが好き？ |
| どちら | No (standalone) | 2 / direction | Polite | どちらが好きですか。 |
Mistake 1: Using どれ with a noun — e.g., どれ電車 (wrong). Always use どの before a noun.
Mistake 2: Using どの to mean “where” — どの is only “which + noun,” never “where.”
Mistake 3: Using どっち in formal situations — switch to どちら at a hotel, restaurant, or business setting.
These two question words are essential for shopping, travel, and everyday transactions.
### いくら for Priceいくら (ikura) means “how much” when asking about price. It directly replaces the price amount in a sentence.
これはいくらですか。 (Kore wa ikura desu ka.) — How much is this?
全部でいくらになりますか。 (Zenbu de ikura ni narimasu ka.) — How much is it all together?
送料はいくらですか。 (Souryou wa ikura desu ka.) — How much is the shipping fee?
いくつ (ikutsu) means “how many” (when you are not sure which counter to use) or “how old” (a softer way to ask age than 何歳).
りんごはいくつありますか。 (Ringo wa ikutsu arimasu ka.) — How many apples are there?
お子さんはいくつですか。 (Okosan wa ikutsu desu ka.) — How old is your child? (gentle, informal)
何歳（なんさい） (nan-sai) is the direct way to ask someone’s age. It is perfectly polite, but can feel blunt. いくつ is softer and more common in casual conversation.
| Expression | Formality | Best used with | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 何歳ですか。 | Direct / Neutral | Children, forms, medical | お子さんは何歳ですか。 |
| おいくつですか。 | Polite | Adults (respectful) | おいくつですか。 |
| いくつですか。 | Casual / Gentle | Children, close friends | いくつになったの？ |
このTシャツはいくらですか。 (Kono T-shatsu wa ikura desu ka.) — How much is this T-shirt?
入場料はいくらですか。 (Nyuujouryou wa ikura desu ka.) — How much is the admission fee?
荷物はいくつ預けられますか。 (Nimotsu wa ikutsu azukeraremasu ka.) — How many bags can I check in?
Here is the secret that connects all Japanese demonstratives and question words into one elegant system. Japanese groups pronouns and location words by psychological distance from the speaker, using four prefixes: こ / そ / あ / ど.
### The Four Columns: こ / そ / あ / どEvery Japanese demonstrative fits into one of these four columns:
| Prefix | Distance / Meaning |
|---|---|
| こ (ko) | Near the speaker (“this”) |
| そ (so) | Near the listener (“that”) |
| あ (a) | Away from both (“that over there”) |
| ど (do) | Question — unknown (“which/where/what”) |
| Category | こ (near speaker) | そ (near listener) | あ (far from both) | ど (question) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thing (pronoun) | これ (this one) | それ (that one) | あれ (that one over there) | どれ (which one?) |
| Which + noun | この (this ~) | その (that ~) | あの (that ~ over there) | どの (which ~?) |
| Place | ここ (here) | そこ (there) | あそこ (over there) | どこ (where?) |
| Direction / Polite | こちら (this way) | そちら (that way) | あちら (that way over there) | どちら (which way? / where?) |
| Manner | こう (like this) | そう (like that) | ああ (like that, over there) | どう (how?) |
Once you see that all ど-words are question words, everything clicks:
- You already know ここ (here) and そこ (there) → ど + こ = どこ (where?)
- You already know これ (this) and それ (that) → ど + れ = どれ (which?)
- You already know この (this ~) and その (that ~) → ど + の = どの (which ~?)
- You already know こう (like this) and そう (like that) → ど + う = どう (how?)
Think of ど as “Don’t know.” Whenever you see ど at the start of a word, your brain is about to form a question — because ど signals that information is unknown and being sought.
— ## Question Words with ParticlesOne of the most powerful features of Japanese question words is that swapping the particle completely changes what you are asking. Here is a comprehensive reference.
### 何が / 何を / 何に / 何で — Changing the Particle Changes the Question何が好きですか。 (Nani ga suki desu ka.) — What do you like?
何を買いますか。 (Nani wo kaimasu ka.) — What will you buy?
何に乗りますか。 (Nani ni norimasu ka.) — What will you ride?
何で書きますか。 (Nande kakimasu ka.) — What will you write with?
だれがそれを言いましたか。 (Dare ga sore wo iimashita ka.) — Who said that?
だれに頼みましたか。 (Dare ni tanomimashita ka.) — Who did you ask (to do it)?
だれと行きましたか。 (Dare to ikimashita ka.) — Who did you go with?
どこに住んでいますか。 (Doko ni sunde imasu ka.) — Where do you live?
どこで働いていますか。 (Doko de hataraite imasu ka.) — Where do you work?
| Question Word | Particle | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 何 (nani) | が | What (subject) | 何が起きましたか。 | What happened? |
| 何 (nani) | を | What (object) | 何を食べましたか。 | What did you eat? |
| 何 (nani) | に | What for / to what | 何に使いますか。 | What will you use it for? |
| 何 (nan) | で | By/with what means | 何で来ましたか。 | How did you come? (by what) |
| だれ (dare) | が | Who (subject) | だれが来ますか。 | Who is coming? |
| だれ (dare) | に | To/for whom | だれに話しましたか。 | Who did you tell? |
| だれ (dare) | と | With whom | だれと行きますか。 | Who are you going with? |
| どこ (doko) | に | Where (location/destination) | どこに行きますか。 | Where are you going? |
| どこ (doko) | で | Where (action) | どこで会いますか。 | Where shall we meet? |
| いつ (itsu) | — | When | いつ来ますか。 | When are you coming? |
| いつ (itsu) | から | From when | いつから始まりますか。 | When does it start? |
| いつ (itsu) | まで | Until when | いつまでいますか。 | Until when are you staying? |
Theory is useful, but real fluency comes from using question words in natural, everyday conversations. Here are eight high-frequency situations.
### これは何ですかThe most universal question. Use it when you see something unfamiliar on a menu, at a market stall, or in a shop.
これは何ですか。 (Kore wa nan desu ka.) — What is this?
それは何という食べ物ですか。 (Sore wa nan to iu tabemono desu ka.) — What kind of food is that called?
One of the first questions every traveler needs. Easy to remember, endlessly useful.
トイレはどこですか。 (Toire wa doko desu ka.) — Where is the restroom?
お手洗いはどちらですか。 (Otearai wa dochira desu ka.) — Where is the restroom? (polite)
The essential shopping question. You can use this alone or point at an item.
これ、いくらですか。 (Kore, ikura desu ka.) — How much is this?
全部でいくらですか。 (Zenbu de ikura desu ka.) — How much is it all together?
Useful for museums, restaurants, post offices — anywhere with opening hours.
この店はいつ開きますか。 (Kono mise wa itsu akimasu ka.) — When does this shop open?
何時から営業していますか。 (Nanji kara eigyou shite imasu ka.) — From what time is it open?
For asking directions or transport routes.
渋谷までどうやって行きますか。 (Shibuya made dou yatte ikimasu ka.) — How do I get to Shibuya?
電車で行くのとバスで行くの、どっちが速いですか。 (Densha de iku no to basu de iku no, docchi ga hayai desu ka.) — Which is faster, train or bus?
Useful in an office or service context when you need to find the right person.
このプロジェクトはだれが担当ですか。 (Kono purojekuto wa dare ga tantou desu ka.) — Who is in charge of this project?
ご担当者はどなたですか。 (Go-tantousha wa donata desu ka.) — Who is the person in charge? (polite)
The go-to restaurant question. Instantly endears you to any Japanese restaurant staff.
どれがおすすめですか。 (Dore ga osusume desu ka.) — Which do you recommend?
一番人気なのはどれですか。 (Ichiban ninki na no wa dore desu ka.) — Which is the most popular?
Here is a short exchange combining several question words in a realistic scenario — arriving at a ramen shop:
Yukaすみません、一番人気なのはどれですか。 (Sumimasen, ichiban ninki na no wa dore desu ka.) — Excuse me, which is most popular?
Rei醤油ラーメンです。いくつ召し上がりますか。 (Shouyu raamen desu. Ikutsu meshiagari masu ka.) — The soy sauce ramen. How many would you like?
Yuka一つお願いします。あと、トイレはどこですか。 (Hitotsu onegaishimasu. Ato, toire wa doko desu ka.) — One please. Also, where is the restroom?
For more restaurant vocabulary and ordering phrases, see this guide:
These are the five errors that come up again and again in beginner Japanese classes. Knowing them in advance saves you from building bad habits.
### Moving the Question Word to the Front (English Word Order)This is the single most common mistake. In English, “what,” “where,” and “who” go to the front. In Japanese, they stay in their natural sentence slot.
❌ WRONG: 何を食べましたか、あなたは？ (Moving object to front)
❌ WRONG: どこに行きましたか、昨日。
✔ CORRECT: あなたは何を食べましたか。
✔ CORRECT: 昨日どこに行きましたか。
The question word replaces the unknown piece of information — wherever that information would naturally appear in the sentence.
### なに vs なん ConfusionRule: なん before d-sounds (です、で、の) and counters. なに before particles (が、を、に) and verbs.
❌ WRONG: なにですか。
✔ CORRECT: なんですか。
❌ WRONG: なんが好きですか。
✔ CORRECT: なにが好きですか。
Because specific time expressions take に (月曜日に、3時に), learners add に after いつ by analogy.
❌ WRONG: いつに来ますか。
✔ CORRECT: いつ来ますか。
どれ is standalone. どの must be followed by a noun. Never say どれ + noun or どの alone.
❌ WRONG: どれ電車に乗りますか。
✔ CORRECT: どの電車に乗りますか。
❌ WRONG: どのがいいですか。
✔ CORRECT: どれがいいですか。
In polite Japanese, か is what marks a question. Without it, the sentence is a statement (or sounds rude in some registers).
❌ Sounds like a statement or rude demand: これは何です。
✔ CORRECT: これは何ですか。 (polite question)
In casual speech you can drop か, but always use it in polite/です・ます style sentences.
— ## Quick Quiz — Japanese Question WordsTest what you have learned. Answers are at the end of this section.
### Meaning Match QuizMatch the Japanese question word to its English meaning.
1. いつ ___
2. だれ ___
3. いくつ ___
4. なぜ ___
5. どう ___
A. How many / How old B. When C. Why (formal) D. Who E. How (manner/opinion)
### Fill in the Particle QuizChoose the correct particle: に / で / が / と / を
1. どこ ___ 食べましたか。 (Where did you eat?) [action]
2. だれ ___ 来ますか。 (Who is coming?) [subject]
3. 何 ___ 使いますか。 (What will you use it for?) [purpose]
4. だれ ___ 行きますか。 (Who are you going with?)
5. どこ ___ 行きますか。 (Where are you going?) [destination]
Choose なに or なん:
1. ___ ですか。 (What is it?)
2. ___ が好きですか。 (What do you like?)
3. ___ で来ますか。 (How are you coming? / What are you coming by?)
4. ___ の本ですか。 (What kind of book is it?)
5. ___ を食べましたか。 (What did you eat?)
Choose どれ or どの:
1. ___ がおすすめですか。 (Which do you recommend?)
2. ___ バスに乗りますか。 (Which bus do you take?)
3. ___ にしますか。 (Which will you have?)
4. ___ 駅で降りますか。 (Which station do you get off at?)
5. 三つの中で ___ が一番好きですか。 (Of the three, which do you like best?)
Put the words in the correct Japanese order. (Hint: question word stays in its natural slot; verb goes last.)
1. [食べましたか / 何を / あなたは] → ___
2. [行きましたか / だれと / 昨日] → ___
3. [買いましたか / どこで / それを] → ___
Quiz Answers
Meaning Match: 1-B, 2-D, 3-A, 4-C, 5-E
Fill in the Particle:
1. どこで食べましたか。
2. だれが来ますか。
3. 何に使いますか。
4. だれと行きますか。
5. どこに行きますか。
なに vs なん:
1. なんですか。
2. なにが好きですか。
3. なんで来ますか。
4. なんの本ですか。
5. なにを食べましたか。
どれ vs どの:
1. どれがおすすめですか。
2. どのバスに乗りますか。
3. どれにしますか。
4. どの駅で降りますか。
5. どれが一番好きですか。
Build a Natural Question:
1. あなたは何を食べましたか。
2. 昨日だれと行きましたか。
3. それをどこで買いましたか。
Which Japanese question word do you find trickiest to use naturally? Share in the comments below — your question might help another learner too!
## Keep Learning
Now that you know all the Japanese question words, the next step is to understand the particles that connect them to your sentences. These guides will help:
