か (question)
ka (question)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
Turns a statement into a question; also "or" between nouns.
か at the end of a sentence turns it into a question, like a spoken question mark: 学生です "is a student" → 学生ですか "Is (he) a student?". The word order does not change at all. Between two nouns, か means "or": お茶かコーヒー "tea or coffee". After a question word, か makes "some-": 何か "something", 誰か "someone".
Every yes/no question and question-word question in polite speech. In listening tasks, か is your signal that a question was asked and an answer is coming.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
Sentence + か (行きますか)Noun + か + Noun (バスか電車)Question word + か (何か something, 誰か someone, どこか somewhere)
Visual diagram
- Step 1あなたは学生です。You are a student.
- Step 2あなたは学生ですか。Are you a student? (just add か)
- Step 3誰かいますか。Is anyone there? (誰か = someone)
Natural examples
あなたは学生ですか。
あなたは がくせいですか。
Are you a student?
Statement + か = question. Nothing else moves.
お茶かコーヒーを飲みますか。
おちゃか コーヒーを のみますか。
Will you have tea or coffee?
Between nouns か means "or".
誰かいますか。
だれか いますか。
Is anyone there?
誰か = someone; the sentence-final か makes it a question.
この電車は新宿へ行きますか。
この でんしゃは しんじゅくへ いきますか。
Does this train go to Shinjuku?
A yes/no question in the polite form.
週末はどこかへ行きましたか。
しゅうまつは どこかへ いきましたか。
Did you go somewhere at the weekend?
どこか = somewhere. Particles follow it: どこかへ.
Similar grammar and the difference
ね asks for agreement ("right?"); か asks for information. Compare side by side
何か = something; 何も + negative = nothing. Compare side by side
In casual speech の can replace か at the end: 行くの？ Compare side by side
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 何食べますか。(polite)
- ✓
- 何を食べますか。
- Why
- Particles stay in questions. か is added at the end; nothing else is dropped.
- ✗
- 田中さんですか？ (with rising だ) 田中さんだか。
- ✓
- 田中さんですか。
- Why
- In polite speech か follows です／ます. だ + か is not used in normal speech.
- ✗
- コーヒーとお茶、どちらを飲みますか。→ コーヒーやお茶を飲みますか。
- ✓
- コーヒーかお茶を飲みますか。
- Why
- "Or" between nouns is か. や means "and, among others".
Word order does not change for questions. A question mark is optional in Japanese writing. Question word + か = "some-" (何か something, 誰か someone, どこか somewhere).
JLPT N5 tips
On the exam
- If the sentence ends with a blank after ます or です and the options include か, ね, よ: a reply that starts with はい／いいえ means the blank is か.
- 何か / 誰か / どこか with an affirmative verb = some-; the same words with も and a negative verb = no-. Check the verb ending before answering.
Frequently asked questions
What does か (question) mean?
Turns a statement into a question; also "or" between nouns. か at the end of a sentence turns it into a question, like a spoken question mark: 学生です "is a student" → 学生ですか "Is (he) a student?". The word order does not change at all. Between two nouns, か means "or": お茶かコーヒー "tea or coffee". After a question word, か makes "some-": 何か "something", 誰か "someone".
How do you form か (question)?
Sentence + か (行きますか) / Noun + か + Noun (バスか電車) / Question word + か (何か something, 誰か someone, どこか somewhere). V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is か (question) used?
Every yes/no question and question-word question in polite speech. In listening tasks, か is your signal that a question was asked and an answer is coming.
What is the difference between か (question) and ね?
ね asks for agreement ("right?"); か asks for information.
What is the difference between か (question) and も?
何か = something; 何も + negative = nothing.
What is a common mistake with か (question)?
Wrong: 何食べますか。(polite) Right: 何を食べますか。 Particles stay in questions. か is added at the end; nothing else is dropped.
Quick check
What goes in ( )? A「田中さんは 学生です（ ）。」 B「はい、そうです。」