Question: 〜Desu ka? 〜ですか？

Key things to remember:

• Japanese sentence structure usually start with Subject and end with the Verb. No changes to this order in the Question form. 

• “KA” is added after “desu” to make the sentence Question.  

• Same as English pronunciation, Ka  will end with little higher note.   

Let’s start with the simplest sentence.

Kore Wa Takoyaki desu ka?

これはたこやきですか？

Is this a Takoyaki?

This is Takoyaki will be “Kore wa Takoyaki desu”.

At the end of the sentence, you simply add “KA” to make it a question.

Easy! Isn’t it?

<other examples>

Is this a pen?

Kore wa Pen desuka?

これはペンですか？

Is that Nick?

Are wa Nick desuka?

あれはニックですか？

Let’s step it up!

What about when you want to say “What is this?”

“What is this?”

What is Nani/Nann なに/なん in Japanese.

And remember the Is this Takoyaki in Japanese?

Replace the Takoyaki with the word “What-nann”.

Kore wa Takoyaki desuka?

Kore wa Nann desuka?

これはなんですか？

What is this?

Isn’t that easy?

<Other examples>

What is that?

are wa nann desuka?

あれはなんですか？

What is it?

sore wa nann desuka?

それはなんですか？

Useful Kanji to memorize will be “What=何 なに or なん”

That is it for this lesson.

Lastly, here are the 2 great spots for Takoyaki and Sushi In Tokyo.

• Gindako, @Shibuya, Tokyo

• Isshin Sushi, @Ueno, Tokyo

Any Questions, please email Motokyo.

Also, if you want to chat in Japanese with me, please start a chat thru this link.