The Interrogative Word “Nan” in Japanese: 「これは何ですか」 (Kore wa nan
desu ka)
The Japanese language has various interrogative words used in daily life.
One of them is “nan” (何), which means “what.” This word is commonly used in
different situations, especially when identifying an object or thing.
In this article, we will explore the usage of the interrogative word “nan”
through the phrase “Kore wa nan desu ka?” (これは何ですか) can be translated
as “What is this?” Let’s look at examples to help deepen your
understanding.
What is “Kore wa nan desu ka?”
This phrase is a straightforward way to ask about an object in
Japanese.
- これ (Kore) means “this.”
- は (wa) is a subject-marking particle.
- The word 何 (nan) means “what.”
- ですか (desu ka) is the formal way of asking a question.
Thus, the complete sentence means, “What is this?”
How to Use It in Conversation
This phrase is used when pointing to something unfamiliar. You can replace
“kore” (“this”) with “sore” (それ, “that”) or “are” (あれ, “that over there”)
to indicate the position of the object more specifically.
Example Sentences
Here are some example sentences using the interrogative word “nan,” along with
answers:
-
それは小豆餅です – sore wa omochi desu: That
is rice cake.
これは何ですか – kore wa nan desu ka: What is
this?
-
それは何ですか – sore wa nan desu ka: What is
that (near the listener)?
それは紙です – sore wa kami desu: That is
paper.
-
あれは何ですか – are wa nan desu ka: What is
that (far from both speaker and listener)?
あれは雪だるまです – are wa yukidaruma desu:
That is a snowman.
-
これはころっけですか – kore wa korokke desu ka:
Is this a croquette?
はいそうです – hai, sō desu: Yes, it is.
-
それはすしですか – sore wa sushi desu ka: Is
that sushi?
いいえ、それはさしみです –
iie, sore wa sashimi desu: No, it is sashimi.
Key Vocabulary
Below is the vocabulary used in the examples above:
| Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| これ | これ | kore | this |
| それ | それ | sore | that (near listener) |
| あれ | あれ | are | that (far away) |
| 何 | なん | nan | what |
| ころっけ | ころっけ | korokke | croquette |
| すし | すし | sushi | sushi |
| さしみ | さしみ | sashimi | sashimi |
| 紙 | かみ | kami | paper |
| 雪だるま | ゆきだるま | yukidaruma | snowman |
| 小豆餅 | おもち | omochi | rice cake |
| ですか | ですか | desu ka | is it? / (question particle) |
Learn Japanese Online
Today, learning Japanese is more accessible than ever before. Many free online
resources, such as courses or instructional videos, are available. By
mastering simple interrogative words like “nan” and practicing the examples
above, you are one step closer to achieving proficiency in Japanese.
Keep learning and exploring new vocabulary. Stay passionate as you strive to
master Japanese!
We hope this article helped you better understand the interrogative word
“nan.” Feel free to practice these phrases and vocabulary in everyday
conversation.
