English–Japanese

“what” in Japanese

Japanese

Pronunciation

Romajinani

Example

これは何ですか？ko re wa nan de su ka

What is this?

Illustration for 何 (what)

How to say “what” in Japanese

“What” in Japanese is 何 (nani).

Asks for the identity, nature, or content of something that has not been identified.

Full entry for 何: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 何

何が好きですか？nan ga su ki de su ka

What do you like?

教室には何がありますか。kyō shitsu ni wa nan ga a ri ma su ka

What is there in the classroom?

Tips for using 何

  • In spoken Japanese, 何 (nani, "what") is commonly pronounced なん (nan) before some sounds, as in 何ですか (nan desu ka).

“what” in other languages