Japanese Question Words (誰・何・どこ・いつ) | Grammar Guide

Core Question Words

Here are the essential interrogatives you need to know:

A quick note on "why": なぜ is the most formal, どうして is neutral, and なんで is casual. Pick based on who you're talking to. Our lesson on talking about yourself puts these question words to use in real conversations, and you'll find many of them in our useful Japanese phrases for beginners.

And 何(なに) switches between なに and なん depending on what follows. Use なん before で, の, and sounds starting with d/t/n (like 何(なに)で, 何(なに)の, 何(なに)時(とき)). Otherwise use なに (何(なに)を, 何(なに)が).

Particle Combinations

This is where question words get really powerful. By attaching も, でも, or か, you transform a question into something else entirely.

*Note: いつも is a special case — with a positive verb it means "always," not "never."

The pattern is straightforward: か makes things indefinite (some-), でも makes things universal and permissive (any-), and も with a negative verb makes things exclusive (no-). With a positive verb, も means "every-" (どこも行(い)った. I went everywhere).

Example Sentences

• 誰(だれ)がこのケーキを作(つく)ったの？ (dare ga kono keeki wo tsukutta no?) — Who made this cake?

• 週末(しゅうまつ)はどこか行(い)きたい。 (shuumatsu wa dokoka ikitai.) — I want to go somewhere on the weekend.

• 飲(の)み物(もの)は何(なに)でもいいよ。 (nomimono wa nan demo ii yo.) — Any drink is fine.

• いつ日本(にほん)に来(き)ましたか？ (itsu nihon ni kimashita ka?) — When did you come to Japan?

• 冷蔵庫(れいぞうこ)に何(なに)もない。 (reizouko ni nanimo nai.) — There's nothing in the fridge.

• この漢字(かんじ)はどう読(よ)むの？ (kono kanji wa dou yomu no?) — How do you read this kanji?

• どうして昨日(きのう)休んだの？ (doushite kinou yasunda no?) — Why were you absent yesterday?

• このバッグはいくらですか？ (kono baggu wa ikura desu ka?) — How much is this bag?