Introduction
Asking questions is one of the most useful skills in any language — and in Japanese, it’s easier than you think! In this lesson, we’ll introduce the essential question pattern “N1 は N2 ですか？”, which means “Is N1 N2?”
Whether you want to ask someone’s name, age, nationality, or job, this pattern will help you start real conversations in Japanese from day one.
Let’s get started!
1. The Structure: What Does “N1 は N2 ですか？” Mean?
This sentence structure is used to ask yes/no questions like:
- “Are you a student?”
- “Is this a dictionary?”
- “Is he Japanese?”
Structure:
N1 は N2 ですか？
(N1 wa N2 desu ka?)
→ “Is N1 N2?”
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| たなかさん は せんせい ですか？ | Tanaka-san wa sensei desu ka? | Is Mr. Tanaka a teacher? |
| エマさん は アメリカじん ですか？ | Ema-san wa Amerikajin desu ka? | Is Emma American? |
| これは じしょ ですか？ | Kore wa jisho desu ka? | Is this a dictionary? |
2. Pronunciation Tip: Rising Intonation
When asking yes/no questions in Japanese, raise your intonation slightly at the end of the sentence on “か” (ka) — just like when you ask a question in English.
Example:
ロバートさん は ２７さい ですか？
(Robaato-san wa nijuu-nana sai desu ka?)
→ “Is Robert 27 years old?”
⤴️ Intonation goes up at the end!
3. Using “なん (nan)” for Open-Ended Questions
You can also use “なん” (nan) to ask open-ended questions like:
| Question | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| おなまえ は なん ですか？ | Onamae wa nan desu ka? | What is your name? |
| せんこう は なん ですか？ | Senkou wa nan desu ka? | What is your major? |
| いま は なんじ ですか？ | Ima wa nanji desu ka? | What time is it now? |
| おにいさん は なんさい ですか？ | Oniisan wa nansai desu ka? | How old is your older brother? |
“なん（何）” = what, and can be combined with words like:
- なんさい（何歳） = how old
- なんねんせい（何年生） = what grade
- なんばん（何番） = what number (e.g., phone number)
4. Practice Sentences: Try It Yourself!
Translate the following into Japanese:
1️⃣ Are you a college student?
2️⃣ Is Satou-san a lawyer?
3️⃣ What grade is Kenji in?
4️⃣ How old is your older sister?
Answers:
1️⃣ （あなた は）だいがくせい ですか？
(Anata wa daigakusei desu ka?)
Note: Use the person’s name if possible instead of “anata.”
2️⃣ さとうさん は べんごし ですか？
(Satou-san wa bengoshi desu ka?)
3️⃣ けんじさん は なんねんせい ですか？
(Kenji-san wa nan nensei desu ka?)
4️⃣ おねえさん は なんさい ですか？
(Oneesan wa nansai desu ka?)
5. Common Vocabulary for Practice
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| がくせい | gakusei | student |
| せんせい | sensei | teacher |
| こうこうせい | koukousei | high school student |
| べんごし | bengoshi | lawyer |
| せんこう | senkou | major (field of study) |
| でんわばんごう | denwa bangou | phone number |
| にほんじん | nihonjin | Japanese (person) |
| アメリカじん | amerikajin | American |
| だいがくせい | daigakusei | university student |
6. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- QCan I use “anata” for “you”?
- A
It’s possible, but in most cases, use the person’s name + さん to sound more natural and polite. “Anata” can sound distant or overly formal in many situations.
- QDo I always need か (ka) at the end?
- A
Yes, か marks the sentence as a question. Without it, the sentence becomes a statement.
- QCan I just raise my voice to make it a question like in English?
- A
Not exactly. Japanese relies on grammar (like か), not just tone, to indicate questions. Still, rising intonation helps signal you’re asking.
- QWhat if I want to ask “Who” or “Where”?
- A
Use other question words:
- だれ = who
- どこ = where
- いつ = when
7. Conclusion: Your First Japanese Questions!
With “N1 は N2 ですか？”, you now have the power to start conversations, ask about people, and find out useful information — all in natural Japanese!
📝 Next Step: Practice by making your own questions:
- Is your friend a student?
- What’s your teacher’s name?
- How old is your classmate?
Want to improve your Japanese with real conversations?
Our native Japanese instructors at gokigen japanese can help you perfect your pronunciation and learn real-life usage.
Whether you’re completely new to Japanese or looking to refine your skills, book a one-on-one session.
