Asking Information Questions — I can ask common information questions (what, where, when, who, how, how much) in simple conversation.

Historical Context & Motivation

Questions are the engine of conversation. Whether you are ordering food in Tokyo, asking a classmate about homework, or navigating a train station, the ability to form information questions — sometimes called WH-questions in English grammar — unlocks real communication. Japanese question words, known as 疑問詞 (gimonshi), have evolved alongside the language itself, shaped by centuries of cultural exchange and grammatical refinement.

Despite this long history, the core challenge remains the same for every learner: Japanese does not move the question word to the beginning of the sentence the way English does. Instead, the question word stays in the position of the missing information, and the sentence ends with the particle か (ka). Understanding this fundamental difference is the gateway to fluent questioning in Japanese.

Core Principles of Japanese Information Questions

Before memorizing individual question words, you need to internalize a handful of structural principles that govern how every Japanese information question works. These principles apply regardless of which question word you use, so mastering them first will make the rest of this lesson feel intuitive.

Visual Explanation — Sentence Structure Map

The diagram below maps how an English information question transforms into its Japanese equivalent. Notice how the question word stays in place in Japanese while English moves it to the front. The verb always anchors the end of the Japanese sentence, and the particle か closes the question.

This pattern is consistent across all six question words you will learn in this lesson. Once you can visualize this "fill-in-the-blank" structure, you can generate questions for any situation by simply swapping the unknown piece of information with the correct gimonshi and keeping everything else in place.

How Japanese Question Sentences Work

Every Japanese information question follows a predictable formula. Think of it as a sentence template with slots you can fill. The general pattern in polite speech is shown below, followed by the six question words you need to know.

The Six Essential Question Words

Detailed Breakdown of Each Question Word

Now let's look at each question word in greater detail. The diagram below shows all six question words radiating from the core question structure, along with the types of information each one targets and common real-life situations where you would use them.

Usage Notes for Each Question Word

なに / なん (What) is the most versatile question word. It asks about objects, activities, names, and concepts. Pair it with を when asking about a direct object (なにを しますか — "What will you do?") or with が when the unknown is the subject (なにが ありますか — "What is there?"). Before です, it becomes なん: おなまえは なんですか ("What is your name?").

どこ (Where) asks about location or destination. Combine it with に for static location (どこに いますか — "Where are you?"), で for where an action occurs (どこで たべますか — "Where will you eat?"), or へ for direction of movement (どこへ いきますか — "Where are you going?").

いつ (When) is refreshingly simple because it typically does not require a particle — it functions as a time adverb and can be placed flexibly within the sentence: いつ きますか ("When will you come?") or パーティーは いつですか ("When is the party?").

だれ (Who) asks about people. When the unknown person is the subject performing the action, use が: だれが うたいますか ("Who will sing?"). When asking about a companion, use と: だれと いきますか ("Who will you go with?"). In more polite contexts, the formal variant どなた (donata) may replace だれ.

どう (How) asks about manner, method, or opinion. It functions as an adverb and typically does not need a particle: にほんの せいかつは どうですか ("How is life in Japan?"). A close relative is どうやって (douyatte), which asks specifically about the method or way of doing something: どうやって つくりますか ("How do you make it?").

いくら (How much) specifically asks about price or cost. It is extremely useful for shopping and dining: これは いくらですか ("How much is this?"). Note that for asking about quantities of countable items, you would instead use なんこ (how many pieces), なんにん (how many people), and other counter-based expressions.

Worked Example — Building a Question from Scratch

Let's walk through the process of constructing a Japanese information question step by step. Imagine you want to ask your Japanese host family: "Where do you eat breakfast?"

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Learning to ask questions in Japanese comes with a few predictable pitfalls, especially for English speakers. The table below compares common mistakes with their corrected versions, and the key takeaway explains the underlying logic that will help you avoid them.

Connection to Advanced Question Patterns

The six question words you learned in this lesson are the foundation, but Japanese offers a rich family of related expressions that you will encounter as your skills grow. The table below previews how each basic question word expands into more nuanced forms.

Another advanced topic to look forward to is embedding question clauses inside longer sentences. For example, instead of asking 「これは なんですか」 directly, you might say 「これが なにか しっていますか」("Do you know what this is?"). In these embedded questions, the か remains but the sentence structure shifts. You will also encounter the ko-so-a-do system, which connects demonstrative pronouns (this, that, which) with question words (どれ = which one, どの = which [noun]). For now, solidify your grasp of the six basic question words; they are the launchpad for everything that follows.

Practice Problems

Test your understanding with these five problems. They progress from basic recall to creative application. Try answering each one before reading the solution.

Lesson Summary