How to Use “nanika / nanimo / dokoka ni / doko ni mo (何か・何も・どこかに・どこにも)” in Japanese | Talking about Something or Somewhere

1. Introduction

Want to say things like:

• “I want to eat something.”
• “I didn’t buy anything.”
• “I went somewhere last weekend.”
• “I didn’t go anywhere.”

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to express these ideas using:

• 何か（なにか） = something
• 何も（なにも） = not… anything
• どこかに = somewhere
• どこにも = not… anywhere

2. Meaning

何か（なにか）・何も（なにも）

In Japanese, 何か means “something,” while 何も means “not…anything” when used with a negative verb.

Example:

• 何か（なにか）たべたいです。= I want to eat something.
• スーパーで何か（なにか）買かいましたか。 = Did you buy anything at the supermarket?
• いいえ、何も（なにも）買いませんでした。= No, I did not buy anything.

どこかに・どこにも

“どこかに” means “somewhere” and “どこにも” means “not anywhere” or “nowhere” used with a negative verb. These expressions are used to talk about indefinite locations in Japanese.

Example:

• 週末しゅうまつ、どこかに行いきたいです。= I want to go somewhere this weekend.
• 週末、どこかに行きますか。= Are you going anywhere this weekend?
• いいえ、どこにも行きません。= No, I am not going anywhere.

3. Sentence Structure

何か（なにか）・何も（なにも）

To use 何か and 何も in sentences, place 何か before a verb in a positive sentence to mean “something.”

Example: デパートで何なにか買かいましたか。= Did you buy anything at a department store?

Also place 何も before a verb in a negative sentence to mean “not…anything.”

Example: デパートで何なにも買かいませんでした。= I did not buy anything at a department store.

どこかに・どこにも

To express indefinite locations in Japanese, place “どこかに” before a verb in a positive sentence to mean “somewhere” or “anywhere”.

Example: 週末しゅうまつ、どこかに行いきたいです。= I want to go somewhere this weekend.

Also place “どこにも” before a verb in a negative sentence to mean “not anywhere” or “nowhere”.

Example: 週末しゅうまつ、どこにも行いきませんでした。= I did not go anywhere last weekend.

4. When particles are omitted — and when they are not

With words like 何なにか, 何なにも, どこか, and だれか, some particles are often omitted, but others are usually kept because they show important information such as direction, place, source, or relationship.

Particles often omitted

• を (object marker)
  • ✅ 何なにか食たべましょうか。= Shall we eat something?
  • ▲ 何かを食べましょうか。- This sentence is not entirely wrong, but it is somewhat unfamiliar to native Japanese.
• が (subject marker)
  • そこに何なにか（が）います。= There’s something there.

Particles usually not omitted

• で (place/action context)
  • 私わたしたち、どこかで会あいましたか。= Have we met somewhere before?
  • You never say “私たち、どこか会いましたか”
• に (destination / target)
  • 週末しゅうまつ、どこかに行いきたいです。 = I want to go somewhere this weekend.
  • 週末、どこにも行きません。 = I’m not going anywhere this weekend.
• へ (direction)
  • もうすぐGWなので、どこかへ行いきたいです。 = It’s almost Golden Week, so I want to go somewhere.
• から (source / origin)
  • たくさんの会社かいしゃに応募おうぼしましたが、どこからも返事へんじがありませんでした。 = I applied to many companies, but I didn’t get a reply from any of them.

Similar rules also apply to other question words such as だれ. For example, in expressions like 「だれとも」, the particle と is not omitted because it shows the relationship “with.”

• だれとも (dare to mo) + Negative Verb: not… with anyone
  • きのう、だれとも話はなしませんでした。 = I didn’t talk with anyone yesterday.

5. Practice Time

Try answering the following using today’s grammar!

1. 今月こんげつ、何なにか買かいましたか。 = Did you buy anything this month?
2. きのう、どこかに行いきましたか。 = Did you go anywhere yesterday?

Example Answers:

1. はい、Tシャツを買いました。= Yes, I bought a T-shirt.
   いいえ、何も買いませんでした。= No, I did not buy anything.
2. はい、図書館としょかんに行きました。= Yes, I went to the library.
   いいえ、どこにも行きませんでした。= No, it did not go anywhere.
   

FAQ

Conclusion

Mastering nanika, nanimo, dokoka ni, and doko ni mo helps you sound more natural and handle a wider range of daily conversations in Japanese.

Now you can say things like:

• “I want to eat something.”
• “I didn’t buy anything.”
• “I went somewhere last weekend.”
• “I didn’t go anywhere.”