Japanese Question Words: だれ, なに, どこ, いつ, なぜ and More
Japanese question words (疑問詞, ぎもんし) are the building blocks of every interrogative sentence. Unlike English, where question words typically go at the front of a sentence, Japanese question words stay in their natural position in the sentence — the verb still comes last. This makes forming questions surprisingly straightforward once you know the words.
The Core Question Words
| Japanese | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| だれ / どなた | Who | どなた is polite |
| なに / なん | What | なん before counters and です |
| どこ / どちら | Where | どちら is polite; also means "which (of two)" |
| いつ | When | No kanji form in modern usage |
| なぜ / どうして | Why | なぜ is formal; どうして is conversational |
| どう / どのように | How | どのように is more formal |
| どれ / どの | Which | どれ = standalone noun; どの + noun |
| どんな | What kind of | Always precedes a noun |
| いくら | How much (price) | Also used for amounts |
| いくつ | How many / How old | Uses native counting |
だれ — Who
なに / なん — What
Use なん before counters (何人、何枚、何時), before です, and before syllables in the た/だ/な row. Use なに elsewhere.
どこ — Where
いつ — When
なぜ / どうして — Why
Question Word + Particle Combinations
Japanese question words combine naturally with particles to create more specific questions. The question word keeps its position in the sentence; only the particle changes.
Embedded Questions (間接疑問文)
To embed a question inside a larger sentence, use the question word + verb in plain form + か. The whole embedded clause acts as a noun.
Polite vs Casual Question Forms
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Check My Japanese free →Sentence structure guideFrequently Asked Questions
What are the main Japanese question words?
The seven core question words are: だれ (who), なに/なん (what), どこ (where), いつ (when), なぜ/どうして (why), どう (how), and どれ/どの (which). Each can combine with particles to form specific questions: どこに (where to), いつから (from when), なにで (by what means).
What is the difference between どれ and どの in Japanese?
どれ stands alone as a noun meaning "which one" (of three or more). どの must precede a noun: どの本 (which book?). Think of it like "which" (standalone) vs "which +" (modifier). For a choice between two options, use どちら instead.
How do you make an embedded question in Japanese?
Add か after the question word or clause, then continue with the rest of the sentence. Examples: 彼がどこに行ったか知っていますか (Do you know where he went?), 何時に来るか教えてください (Please tell me what time you'll come). The か clause acts as a noun phrase.
When do I use なに vs なん in Japanese?
Use なん before counters (何枚, 何人, 何時), before です (何ですか), and when the next sound is た, だ, or な row. Use なに before all other sounds and at the end of a phrase. In practice: 何をしますか = なにをしますか; 何時ですか = なんじですか.