Video
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V-stem + 方 (kata): How to Say “How to do ~” in Japanese
Introduction
Do you know how to express the idea of “how to do” something or the “way of doing” something in Japanese?
V-stem + 方 (kata) turns a verb into the idea of “how to do / the way of doing” that action.
1. Structure & Meaning
Pattern and Meaning
Verb (stem, ます-form minus ます) + 方
“how to V / the way of V-ing”
Example
カレーライスの作り方
how to make curry rice
The V-stem + 方 construction in Japanese is used to express the idea of “how to do” something or the “way of doing” something.
2. How to Form It
- Take the ます-form, drop ます → this is the stem.
- Add 方.
Example
| Verb | Stem | V + 方 | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 行く to go | 行き | 行き方 how to go | 駅への行き方 how to get to the station |
| 書く to write | 書き | 書き方 how to write | 漢字の書き方 how to write kanji |
| 食べる to eat | 食べ | 食べ方 how to eat | すしの食べ方 how to eat sushi |
| 入る to enter | 入り | 入り方 how to enter | 温泉の入り方 how to enter a hot spring |
| 作る to make | 作り | 作り方 how to make | ケーキの作り方 how to make a cake |
| する to do | し | し方 how to do | 説明のし方 how to describe |
Note: Noun の しかた
With する-verbs, we use Noun + の + 仕方（しかた）
- 勉強する (to study) → 勉強の仕方（how to study）
- JLPTの勉強の仕方をおしえてください。= Please tell me how to study for the JLPT.
- 予約する (to make a reservation) → 予約の仕方（how to make a reservation）
- ホテルの予約の仕方を知っていますか。= Do you know how to make a hotel reservation?
Here, the を in the original sentence changes to の because the phrase becomes a noun phrase. E.g., ホテルを予約する → ホテルの予約の仕方
Also, this pattern normally does not have a negative form.
For example, “ホテルを予約しない (I do not book a hotel)” is grammatically correct, but you never say “ホテルの予約しない仕方.”
If you want to say “how not to do something,” Japanese usually uses a different expression such as 〜ない方法 or 〜ないようにする方法.
E.g., 授業中に眠たくならないようにする方法 (Ways to Stay Awake During Class)
3. Particles: を → の, and への for destinations
Particles change depending on the original sentence structure.
- The particle を (Direct Object Marker) of the original verb is turned to の.
- すしを食べる (eat sushi) → すしの食べ方（how to eat sushi）
- カレーライスを作る (make curry rice) → カレーライスの作り方 (how to make curry rice)
- With motion verbs, destinations are commonly marked への (＝ へ + の).
- レストランへ行く (go to the restaurant) → レストランへの行き方 (how to get to the restaurant)
- 富士山へ行く (go to Mt. Fuji) → 富士山への行き方 (how to get to Mt. Fuji)
Be careful: destination marker に does not become にの.
For example:
東京駅に行く (go to Tokyo Station) → 東京駅への行き方 (how to get to Tokyo Station / NOT 東京駅にの行き方)
Other particles can also appear before 方 by adding の after the particle.
- おはしで食べる → おはしでの食べ方 = how to eat with chopsticks
- 目上の人と話す → 目上の人との話し方 = how to speak with a superior
Example with multiple changes:
- 空港でレンタカーをかります → 空港でのレンタカーのかり方 = how to rent a car at the airport
4. Natural Examples
このケーキの作り方を教えてください。
Please teach me how to make this cake.
温泉の入り方を知っていますか。
Do you know how to use a hot spring?
中国語の勉強の仕方を教えてください。
Please tell me how to study Chinese.
遊園地への行き方をスマホで調べました。
I looked up how to get to the amusement park on my smartphone.
5. Common Mistakes (and fixes)
- how to eat sushi:
- ❌ すしを食べ方
- ✅ すしの食べ方（を→の）
- how to go to there
- ❌ そこへの行きます方
- ✅ そこへの行き方（use stem, not ます）
- how to get to the station
- ❌ 駅の行き方
- ✅ 駅への行き方（use への）
6. Practice
Let’s make a V-stem + 方 construction using clues.
| Clue | Example Answer | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 学校へ行きます | 学校への行き方 | How to get to school |
| はしを使います | はしの使い方 | How to use chopsticks |
| ケーキを焼きます | ケーキの焼き方 | How to bake a cake |
| お金をためます | お金のため方 | How to save money |
| 犬をかいます | 犬のかい方 | How to raise a dog |
You are traveling to Japan for the first time.
Ask Japanese how to do the following.
Example: how to eat sukiyaki → すき焼きの食べ方を教えていただけませんか。
| Clue | Example Answer |
|---|---|
| how to buy a ticket | チケットの買い方を教えていただけませんか。 |
| how to get to Tokyo Station | 東京駅への行き方を教えていただけませんか。 |
| how to reserve a hotel | ホテルの予約の仕方を教えていただけませんか。 |
FAQ
- QWhy does the particle を (wo) change to の (no)?
- A
Adding 方 (kata) turns the verb into a noun.
- Verb sentence: Sushi o taberu (Eat sushi)
- Noun phrase: Sushi no tabekata (The way of eating sushi / How to eat sushi)
- You never say “Sushi o tabekata“
- QCan I use ~方 to describe someone’s personal habits?
- A
Yes. While it often means “instructions” or “manuals,” it is also used to describe the unique way someone performs an action.
- 弟の話し方は少し変だ。= My brother’s way of speaking is a bit strange.
- ジョンのはしの使い方は日本人より上手だ。= John uses chopsticks better than Japanese people.
- QHow do I say “how to go TO” a place?
- A
When dealing with destinations, the particle へ (he) or に (ni) changes to への (he no).
- Incorrect: 駅の行き方 (Eki no ikikata)
- This sounds like “the station’s way of going”
- Correct: 駅への行き方 (Eki eno ikikata)
- The way to the station
- Incorrect: 駅の行き方 (Eki no ikikata)
- QIs there a difference between ~方 (kata) and ~方 (hou)?
- A
Even though they share the same kanji, the reading and grammar are different:
- V-stem + 方 (kata): “How to…”
- ～の方 (hou): Used for comparisons / indicate direction or orientation
- りんごよりみかんの方が好き。= I like oranges better than apples.
- 犯人は大通りの方に逃げました。= The suspect fled toward the main street.
Conclusion
V-stem + 方 is your go-to tool for saying “how to do ~”.
Build it from the ます-stem, convert を → の, use への with destinations, and lean on N + の + 仕方 for many する-verbs.
Master these pieces and you can ask for—and give—clear, natural “how-to” instructions in Japanese.
