Japanese question words for beginners (N5)

Japanese question words help you ask who, what, where, when, why and how. At JLPT N5, you do not need complex grammar. You only need to know where to put the question word and how to end the sentence with か (ka). Click the play button to listen to each example and repeat out loud.

Main Japanese question words (N5)

だれ (dare): who
なに / なん (nani / nan): what
どこ (doko): where
いつ (itsu): when
どうして (doushite): why
どう (dou): how
どれ (dore): which one

In Japanese, the question word usually appears in the same position as the information you are asking for. The sentence ends with か (ka) to mark it as a question.

1. だれ (dare): who

だれ (dare) replaces the person in the sentence. It often comes at the beginning, followed by が (ga) or です (desu) and the question marker か (ka).

だれですか。 (dare desu ka?)

Who is it?

Here だれ takes the place of a person plus the verb “to be”. Pattern: だれ + ですか。

だれがきますか。 (dare ga kimasu ka?)

Who is coming?

Pattern: だれが + verb + か。 You are asking which person is doing the action.

2. なに / なん (nani / nan): what

Both forms mean “what”. The pronunciation changes depending on the sound that comes after it.

Use なに (nani) before particles like を (o) or が (ga).
Use なん (nan) when it comes before です (desu) or counters, for example なんじ (nanji, what time).

これはなんですか。 (kore wa nan desu ka?)

What is this?

Pattern: これはなんですか。 The question word comes right before です when you ask “What is X?”.

なにをたべますか。 (nani o tabemasu ka?)

What will you eat?

Pattern: なにを + verb + か。 Here なに replaces the object of the verb. You are asking “What do you eat?”.

3. どこ (doko): where

どこ (doko) replaces a place. It can stand alone with ですか or appear after the topic marked by は (wa).

どこですか。 (doko desu ka?)

Where is it?

Pattern: どこですか。 Simple and direct, used when the context is clear.

トイレはどこですか。 (toire wa doko desu ka?)

Where is the bathroom?

Pattern: X はどこですか。 You put the place you are asking about before は, then どこですか at the end.

4. いつ (itsu): when

いつ (itsu) asks about time, date or moment. It usually comes before the verb or です.

いついきますか。 (itsu ikimasu ka?)

When will you go?

Pattern: いつ + verb + か。 You are asking at what time or what day the action happens.

テストはいつですか。 (tesuto wa itsu desu ka?)

When is the test?

Pattern: X はいつですか。 Same structure as どこですか, but now you ask about time instead of place.

5. どうして (doushite): why

どうして (doushite) asks for a reason. It usually appears at the beginning of the sentence before the verb.

どうして きませんか。 (doushite kimasen ka?)

Why are you not coming?

Pattern: どうして + negative verb + か。 You ask why the action does not happen.

どうして にほんごをべんきょうしますか。 (doushite nihongo o benkyou shimasu ka?)

Why do you study Japanese?

Pattern: どうして + object + verb + か。 This is the basic way to ask for a reason at N5 level.

6. どう (dou): how

どう (dou) asks about the condition, opinion or state of something. It usually appears before ですか.

これはどうですか。 (kore wa dou desu ka?)

How is this, what do you think about this?

にほんはどうですか。 (nihon wa dou desu ka?)

How is Japan, what do you think about Japan?

Pattern: X はどうですか。 You ask for an opinion or impression about X.

7. どれ (dore): which one

どれ (dore) is used when you choose one item from three or more options. It replaces “which one” in English.

どれですか。 (dore desu ka?)

Which one is it?

どれをかいますか。 (dore o kaimasu ka?)

Which one will you buy?

Pattern: どれを + verb + か。 Here どれ replaces the object that you will choose.

Vocabulary from this lesson

Click to listen and repeat each word.

だれ (dare): who

なに (nani): what

なん (nan): what, used before です or counters

どこ (doko): where

いつ (itsu): when

どうして (doushite): why

どう (dou): how

どれ (dore): which one