Basic Japanese Question Words: How, What, When, Where, Why

Learning Japanese can feel overwhelming at first, but mastering basic question words will help you start simple conversations and understand essential information. In this guide, we’ll cover the five most common Japanese question words: How, What, When, Where, and Why. By the end, you’ll be able to ask basic questions with confidence!

1. What – なに / なん (Nani / Nan)

“What” in Japanese is expressed as なに (nani) or なん (nan). The form you use depends on the context:

• なに (nani) – Used when the next word starts with a consonant or at the end of a sentence.
• なん (nan) – Used when the next word starts with certain sounds, like d, t, n.

Examples:

• これはなんですか？ (Kore wa nan desu ka?) – What is this?
• なにをたべますか？ (Nani o tabemasu ka?) – What will you eat?
• でんわばんごうはなんですか？ (Denwa bangou wa nan desu ka?) – What is your phone number?

2. Where – どこ (Doko)

“Where” in Japanese is どこ (doko), used to ask about locations.

Examples:

• トイレはどこですか？ (Toire wa doko desu ka?) – Where is the toilet?
• おてあらいはどこですか？ (Otearai wa doko desu ka?) – Where is the bathroom?
• あなたのいえはどこですか？ (Anata no ie wa doko desu ka?) – Where is your house?
• どこであいましょうか？ (Doko de aimashou ka?) – Where shall we meet?

3. When – いつ (Itsu)

“When” in Japanese is いつ (itsu), used for asking about time.

Examples:

• にほんにいついきますか？ (Nihon ni itsu ikimasu ka?) – When will you go to Japan?
• てすとはいつですか？ (Tesuto wa itsu desu ka?) – When is the test?
• いつうまれましたか？ (Itsu umaremashita ka?) – When were you born?

4. Why – なぜ / どうして (Naze / Dōshite)

There are two common ways to say “Why” in Japanese: なぜ (naze) and どうして (dōshite). They are often interchangeable, but なぜ is more formal, while どうして is more conversational.

Examples:

• なぜにほんごをべんきょうしていますか？ (Naze Nihongo o benkyou shiteimasu ka?) – Why are you studying Japanese?
• どうしてがっこうをやすんだの？ (Dōshite gakkou o yasunda no?) – Why did you miss school?
• なぜそんなことをいったの？ (Naze sonna koto o itta no?) – Why did you say that?

5. How – どう (Dō) / いかが (Ikaga)

“How” in Japanese is usually どう (dō), but in formal situations, you might use いかが (ikaga).

Examples:

• おげんきですか？ (Ogenki desu ka?) – How are you? (Polite)
• どうおもいますか？ (Dō omoimasu ka?) – What do you think?
• このえいがはどうでしたか？ (Kono eiga wa dō deshita ka?) – How was this movie?
• いかがですか？ (Ikaga desu ka?) – How is it? (More formal)

Bonus: Adding “Who” – だれ (Dare)

Although not part of our main five, “Who” is another important question word.

• これはだれですか？ (Kore wa dare desu ka?) – Who is this?
• だれといきますか？ (Dare to ikimasu ka?) – Who are you going with?

Summary Table